


Dex and the SpookydooAU

by patelyne



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: AU, Ghost Hunters, Hauntings, He's a Good Boy, Is that a thing? I’m making it a thing., Lighthouses, M/M, Meddlesome ghosts, Pie fixes everything, Slow Burn, The Gang’s All Here - Freeform, There's a dog!, Where dex is every bit the grumpy would-be recluse I believe him to be, dex didn't go to samwell, nothing bad will happen to the dog I promise, or should I say slow kindle?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2020-11-22 11:09:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 38,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20873216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/patelyne/pseuds/patelyne
Summary: This is the start of what, in absence of an actual title, I am calling the SpookydooAU for now (it’s fun to say, try it)I'm working my way through the story with the help of the fictober 2019 promptsWhat you need to know -Dex is a lone lighthousekeeper.The rest of the Samwell crew are friends that go on “ghost hunting” trips every year to keep in touch.Friends who end up at His Lighthouse and are Very Bothersome.And there’s a ghost. Maybe.In case you're worried this will be way light on the spooking and heavy on the shenaniganing (totally a word I just made up)Fair warning - this is a total WIP. I have no idea how long it'll end up and It's bound to get messy as the month continues. But, promise, I'll be cleaning it up at the end!





	1. Chapter 1

Will was leaning against the ‘walk deck’s rail when he saw them. Enjoying his coffee and minding his own business, gearing up to start the day with his monthly inspection of the works and lens polishing for the lighthouse he called home. With all those blasted new houses popping up on the coast, it might not be the tallest view in the village anymore, but it was a clear view and it was his. Had been since the day he was born, and would be until the day he died if he had any say in the matter. 

Right now his inland view was of small SUV that had pulled to the roadside just after the last house at the end of his drive. Out piled over a half dozen people. A couple of them small, but, even from up top the tower, most looked far too large to have all fit in that rig comfortably...like it was some sort of clown car magic or something.

He continued to watch as one guy started pulling things out of a duffel and shaking them one by one before dropping them on the ground at his feet. Four people, two women - one of them massively taller than the other - and two more guys, crowded around a map they’d spread on the vehicle hood. Another guy, with a cap pulled down over his face, alternated between looking over them and burying his head in a notebook. To his side, a shorter man had climbed atop a boulder and was holding something in his hand - a phone maybe? - as he jumped up and down.

Then two more people climbed out the back of the vehicle - Seriously?! How did they all fit?? Third row seating can only do so much! - and ran off towards his neighbor’s dock.

All in all, a very odd group.

An odd group too close to the house for his liking.

And one that didn’t appear to be leaving any time too soon.

Resigning himself to putting off his to-do list a little longer, he climbed down the spiral staircase and headed out to where they were parked. He could hear their muttering amongst themselves get louder and louder as he got closer.

“-like she said,”

“but the viewpoint?” 

“I don’t get it, we followed the map!”

“Dead, dead, dead. All dead.”

“Hill to head to lane,”

“Why can’t I get signal???”

“Maybe if - where did those two fuck off to now?”

“Higher ground? Who knows, what if-“

“GPS won’t load.”

“Phone neither.”

The group was so wrapped up in trying to figure out where they were that they didn’t even notice Will’s approach, so when he spoke up there was a chorus of yelps and a maybe a scream or two. Dignified manly screams, of course. The man on the boulder slipped off with a shriek, but was caught by notebook guy.

“Lost as all get out, and now I’m fixin’ to have a heart attack! Where did _you_ come from??” Said the small blond man, after he got back on his feet. Now clutching his - useless - phone to his chest.

“Come from up the way apiece, and saw you looked lost. I can tell you, that phone is never going to get a signal here, and,” turning towards the car hood Will pointed out, “your map appears to be upside down? Where you headed?”

The shorter of the two women answered, “Union Cemetery off of dog...ummm...dog...something...what was it called Jack? I lost the spot again.”

Notebook guy, apparently Jack, looked up from said notebook. “Dogfish Head“

“Yeah you missed that. Should have turned the other way at the new roundabout. Bit hard to keep directions straight if you can’t keep your map that way though. Since you overshot the viewpoint to end up here you might as well loop round the point instead of doubling back. You want to be cove side and this is the harbor.”

“We’re at the harbor now?”

“Near ‘nough”

“Then that would make this lighthouse the one owned by William Poindexter-“

Will confirmed “Yeah, that’s me.”

“-who we were not to disturb under any circumstances?” He cringed, “sorry, eh? The visitor’s center tried to guide us, but-“

“S’alright. Happens. If you want to grab your friends back from the shore though, you can just follow me over there. Born and raised on the rock, I know the area. I’ll get you where you’re going.”

The guy with the, ugh, manbun took off towards the water to get them, shouting the whole way. The others in the group started to gather their things and re-cram themselves into the vehicle.

“Since we’re already here, can we see-“

Will’s expression instantly shuttered when he saw the man in the shark hoodie excitedly pull out a ‘Coastal Hauntings’ pamphlet. Oh they were _that_ kind of tourist. He quickly interrupted with his now standard brush off “Closed to public. I’ll mark your map with the other Bay Lights for you, but no tours at mine.”

Supernatural Tourists. That’s what he got for being friendly for a change. He’d learn to accept all pictures of his house snapped from the viewpoint, give directions to the lost, even greet a leaf peeper or two, but the tourists that just wanted to dig up ghoulish stories about a poor dead girl from years ago couldn’t be less welcome. He should have guessed that’s what this group was up to when they were looking for the cemetery. And now that he took a closer look, all the electronic shit duffel guy was tossing around were clearly meters, recorders and such.

He turned to that duffel guy, who he might have found attractive if he weren’t both disturbing his peace _and_ still making a mess with all the shit he’d dumped everywhere. “You’re going to pick that up right?”

“Chyeah obvi,” he replied with a bored tone and a roll of his eyes, as he kept digging even more electronics out of the side pockets.

Stupidly hot faces with scruff to die for did not belong attached to such an annoying person. It was offensive, Will thought to himself before throwing up his arms - “NOW?!”

“Fine. Whatever. Chill.” Will watched him roll his - damned, perfect, green - eyes _again_ before unzipping the duffel the rest of the way and shoving everything back in.

“Happy?”

Will looked around, and yeah it was all picked up. “Happy enough.” He turned to the rest of the group, still loading themselves up, and said “Let me go back and grab the truck, and then you can follow me out.”

The sooner he could get back to his day, the better.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our reluctantly helpful lighthouse keeper guides the samwell "ghost hunters" to the cemetery.  
I'm sure that will be the end of it.  
Nothing but peace and quiet for Will from here on out.  
(lies. all lies.)

Will led them to the cemetery. Just as well he was leading them, because, tucked away behind the trees like it was, there was a fair chance they’d have passed it and looped back around to him again. 

Once parked, they all climbed out of the vehicle and spread out - honestly how did they fit in that thing? He was watching and still couldn’t figure it out.

He took the map from Man-Bun and Short Woman when they brought it over and marked it as promised. Circled a couple of the public open lighthouses. Made sure to put a circle with a line through on his own place. Even drew a little gravestone and wrote ‘you are here’ at the graveyard, and a big star around the visitors center. 

“Great, thanks man!” Man-Bun said as he slapped Will on the back. “I know you didn’t ask for this, us basically showing up on your doorstep, but we’d be lost without you. For real. We’re normally much more prepared than this-“

“Normally? So you do this a lot, ummm,” Will searched his head for the name. He couldn’t just call him Man-Bun out loud. Had any of the others called him something?

Picking up on the reason for the pause, he helped, “Shitty Knight.”

Confusing subject change, Will thought. “Night? It’s day. Barely started, and not that bad a one. Fair seasonal, really.” God, these people were odd.

“No, my name. It’s Shitty. Well, nickname. Because my actual name is ... well, shitty. Hey! You need a nickname! Let me think -“ 

“Please. Don’t.” Will said under his breath as ‘Shitty’ - and he had thought calling him Man-Bun would have been too rude? - wandered off butchering his name in a variety of new and creative ways. 

Short Woman stepped up, “Larissa, or Lardo to my fellow heathens here, and to answer your question - because we’ve lost Shits for a while - we go ghost hunting as a group every year. We normally shoot for a week in April, but a couple of us were busy this year. And then summer started late for Jack sooooo,“

Will frowned, how could summer be late? And for one person? It was a season. Weirder and weirder.

“Lucky we all managed to match up a few free days here in fall though. We waited too long and couldn’t get rooms at our planned spot, but then we heard about this place and so we threw this trip together and here we are. Late, lost and in your debt.”

“Don’t think of it. Ummm it seems like you’re all set now, so I’m gonna head back?”

She gave him a thumbs up and joined the rest who were checking names on all the stones.

He could have told them they were looking in the wrong area. Between the pamphlet, their interest in this particular cemetery and his particular lighthouse, the stories they could be chasing were limited. Most of those people came nosing around towards December, but scheduling was a thing from what they said so - yeah. He was pretty sure he knew who they were looking for. As sure as he could be without a name.

It was the typical story, from the time of his great grandparents. Lone woman from away seen walking along the road at night disappears under mysterious circumstances, never to be heard from again. Other than ghostly sightings of a shadowy figure along the harbor roads and beaches at night that is. There was a little more to it in this case, main thing being that this one’s body had actually been found later. Stone’s throw from the lighthouse, in fact. Such a sad story, no one had even come to claim her.  
He tried not to think about it too much. Knowing he was the last of his family made things like that hit a little harder as the years passed. 

There had been talk years back about giving her a proper stone, but many of the residents didn’t want to attract any more of this exact kind of attention. They wanted to be known more for their spectacular views than mysterious probably murders from a century earlier. And so she continued her rest under the trees at the edge of the cemetery, her grave simply marked by plain stones. Mostly safe from the looky loos, unless they were really into the area history. With no real family to mourn her, the village felt the best they could offer was to give her the peace of anonymity at this point. 

Any matter, he didn’t want to seem too helpful to this group and make them feel welcome to asking more of him. So he kept his mouth shut, and let them search in all the wrong spots. It was kind of uncomfortable for him, watching them traipse all over the graves. He couldn’t help but think of his own family’s site and be glad it was in an entirely different cemetery. All this only made him miss the quiet of his home even more, so he slipped away while the group continued their search.

—

When Will got back home, he climbed back up to the lantern room of the lighthouse. Time to get back to work. He didn’t like getting so late a start, but since he kept things in generally good order he knew it would be fine. 

So much of the works were run on automated timers these days. His dad had been happy to get all that put in so that, barring storms, he wouldn’t have to go up and do it all manual. Sometimes Will wondered what it had been like in the old days, and thought he would have enjoyed the hard work of it all. Of course, that was easy to say when not actually facing the reality of cold stair climbs in the dark and restless nights. 

Not that the modernizing made for an easy life either. Seemed like there was always something needing doing. Keeping the windows clean of sea spray seemed like a full job in itself as the weather got rougher each fall. 

He noted one of the bolts was starting to get stripped after he tightened it. He’d need to pick up some spares before next month. 

Everything else checked out, and he updated the log. 

Finally finished, he pulled the binoculars out of the pouch he kept inside the door before heading out in the ‘walk for one last look around before darkness fell. 

Oh great, there was someone taking pictures from the scenic lookout with one of those damned giant lens aimed his way. He flipped off their general direction and muttered “frame that” and kept scanning the shoreline. 

One of the regular beachcombers waved. Will could never remember her name, but, thanks to a conversation they’d had while she waited for the tide to change one day a while back, he knew she made wind chimes to sell with the shells she collected. After that she wandered by every now and then for a bit of conversation.  
He wondered if she’d seen his response to the tourists. It should have been hard from the distance, but she appeared to be laughing. 

Sometimes he thought that maybe he should be nicer to the tourists. Or at least ignore them better. After all, the majority of the village did need them bringing money in to keep afloat in the off seasons. But, nah. Not like he went to their houses and aimed giant cameras in their windows. Hardly his fault if they found his place so interesting. It was still rude. And if a nice person like her found him ruining their photos funny, it couldn’t be that bad, could it?

Looking further down he saw another tourist group taking shore line pictures. With a normal camera. Like normal people. People who weren’t treating him like some sort of animal at the zoo and snapping HD pics of him in his ‘enclosure’.

When he had made it around to the view of his drive he saw the clown car of an SUV approaching again.

“No, no, no, no, no, no, NO.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really need to give this thing an actual title, yikes.


	3. Chapter 3

Will opened the door, looking down at the, painfully earnest faced, short blond from earlier.  
  
He opened his mouth to talk, but Will interrupted, “No.”

The one they called Jack stood off the porch by the stairs, looking uncomfortable and like he’d rather be anywhere else. Good, that made two of them. At least they didn’t bring the entire entourage this time. It didn't look like anyone else was left in the vehicle.

“But I didn’t even-“ Short One tried to speak again.  
  
“Nope. Don’t care. Unless, hell, ” Will sighed. ”Are you lost, _again_?”  
  
“No, but-“  
  
“Then could you get-“  
  
He pushed a pie into Will’s hands. A really good smelling pie, still warm. Was that spiced apple? Mmmmmm... Okay maybe he could hear him out.

“We stay out here, and I’ll give you five minutes-” he paused.  
  
“They call me Bitty,“  
  
“Of course they do,” he snorted.  
  
“Well, bless your heart,”  
  
“Don’t be thinking I don’t know what _that_ means.”  
  
Undeterred, Bitty continued, ”I was only wanting to give you this here pie as thanks for helping earlier. Aaand, well, we aren’t lost, and we wouldn’t disturb by asking to come in, but we were wondering...maybe we could just walk around the shore rocks? Not now, necessarily, just sometime in the next few days? It’s only that all the books and papers say-”  
  
Will practically growled, “No, and that’s final.” Someone needed to convince these people that persistence was _not_ a virtue.  
  
”Please? You’d hardly know we were there! In and out! Would it kill you to let us do one little pass??”  
  
“Might not kill _me_...” Will replied in his most menacing tone...which honestly might be more grouchy than terrifying.

Still, it seemed to do the trick just the same as Jack stepped up on the porch and took Bitty’s hand gently pulling him back.  
  
“Let’s go. I told you this was a bad idea.”  
  
“But!”  
  
“Not worth it, Bits, and we’ve taken enough of his time as it is.”

“You want this back?” Will held up the pie. He was hoping the answer was no, but figured it only fair to ask since he _was_ kicking them out.  
  
“No, I baked it for you. I’m not going to take back a thank you gift.” Bitty shot back, clearly offended. ”_Some_ people have manners.”  
  
“Not manners enough to stop from inviting themselves over. Repeatedly.” Will muttered under his breath.  
  
Jack was now fully tugging on Bitty’s arm, who, even the growing dark, was getting visibly red faced.

Jack called back as they walked over over to their SUV, “thanks again for your time, and sorry for ... well uh. Sorry.”  
  
They shut the back door - wait, that hadn’t been open...had it? - before climbing in, starting the vehicle, and backing their way out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's a short one, but next time- Nursey sighting!


	4. Chapter 4

Will made his way into the kitchen with his pie, and plated up a piece.  
  
He took one bite and made a truly obscene sound. God was that good. How did the pie manage to taste even better than it had smelled? He looked from his plate, to the pie tin and then back. What was the point of being a grownup if you couldn't eat what you wanted when you wanted it, he reasoned. Decision made, he put the fork in the tin and took it with him, leaving the plate with its lone pie piece behind on the counter.

Stopping in the living room only long enough to grab a throw to wrap around his shoulders, he headed back up to the top of the tower.

Wouldn’t be long before it’d be too cold to do this, he thought, sitting with legs dangling off the walk edge and watching the stars. Might as well enjoy it while he still could. This had always been his favorite part of growing up in the lighthouse. It made living so much further out than his classmates absolutely worth it. Even with the lantern shining from behind him, the night was so clear he felt like he could see forever.

A wave of nostalgia hit him and he wished there was still someone to bring him up a cocoa and sit along side him. A tiny voice in his head whispered he could have that again, but it would mean letting someone in. He shook his head, shushing it. The warmth of his blanket and amazing pie went a long ways towards happiness, and he valued his independence. Thank you very much, stupid voice.

  
He was still appreciating the peaceful quiet of the night when a blinking down at the shoreline caught his eye. When he strained his ears, he could just make out a beeping noise over the sounds of the waves crashing on the rocks.

Suddenly a rectangle lit up bright as anything before shorting out and he could hear - without struggling - a very empathetic curse.

So much for leaving when asked, huh? Looked like there was a straggler. Who else could it be, if not than one of that band of weirdos sneaking their way back onto the property regardless of having been sent away?

He kept his eyes trained to the spot, letting them adjust better to the dark, until he was pretty sure he could make out the shape of Pretty-Messy-Annoying-Attractive-Duffel Guy and his, apparently, ever present bag of tricks.

Will watched as he tossed the malfunctioning piece of equipment in, then pulled out and fired up a larger, brighter, unit.

Yup, that was definitely him. No doubt.  
  
He knew that vehicle’s back door hadn’t been open before.   
The pie must have been a distraction. Stupid delicious distraction for a stupid attractive trespasser.  
He ought to go down there and give him a piece of his mind.  
  
Will set the pie down to his side and brushed off his lap, accidentally knocking a handful of the pebbles the seabirds were always dropping on the deck.

The noise of them landing down below made the guy on the ground spin around and aim his machine in that direction. It gave a weak sound and then flashed bright before shutting down like the last one.

Will heard something that sounded like ‘damned batteries’ as he dug around in the duffel.

  
He wondered if maybe he could have a little fun with this before sending the guy on his way. Instead of getting up, Will looked around him, found a few more stones and pulled them quietly into a little pile. He picked a couple up and tossed them to the opposite side the other man was facing.

He whipped around and called out “who’s there??” in a voice a bit too loud to be called a whisper. Even in the dark, Will could see his eyes were big as saucers. He almost felt bad for the laugh he was forcing himself to hold back. But only almost. The guy was sneaking around uninvited after all.

This was fun, Will thought, as he watched the other man muttering and pacing around with his equipment and weird tiny red flashlight trying to figure out what was causing all the noises around him.

As he edged closer to the water, Will was having to toss the pebbles a little harder. Not too hard, he wasn’t a monster. And his wasn't even that tall a tower, he reasoned with himself. But it made him juuuuust far enough way to mess with his aim, and -

Oh shit! One of the rocks connected with the back of the guy’s neck!

He let out an ear-splitting shout, spun around and, looking up this time, must have been able to see Will. And if he didn't see him, he for sure must have been able to hear him, because was leaning against the rails laughing for all he was worth.

”You! You! You asshole!”

Oooooo Duffel Guy was wicked pissed. And, damn, but that only got Will laughing harder still. God, when was the last time he laughed this hard? He could scarcely catch his breath and his eyes were so full of tears he could hardly make out the sight of the guy jumping on the rocks, still shouting.

“I hope you fall down off your fucking lighthouse!” came a shout. And with one last stomp on the wet stones he fell backwards, splashing into the water with a sputtery yell.

  
Will was running his way down before the call for help came. Still, by the time he made it down to the shore the man had already managed to scramble his way back up the rocks and stood wet, shivering, and pretty angry looking on the beach.

”I just got that damned Mel Meter, and you ruined it!” he yelled as he threw it in the direction of his duffel.

”I ruined it?! I'm not the one who fell into the ocean because I got scared!”

”Scared, me!?!”

”Yes, scared! And then too busy throwing a fit to look where you were going!”

”I threw a _fit_?!? You threw a _**ROCK**_ at me!”

”Hardly a rock!”

”Was that - Rocks! Plural! That was you the whole time, wasn't it?!”

”Maaaaaybe...” The surprised outrage in the guy’s face had the laughter threatening to bubble back up in Will. ”But they were just pebbles. Practically big sand,” he qualified with a smirk.

”Rocks!” he insisted.

With an eye roll, Will asked “Did you die?”

The guy glared back.

“If you didn't die, then it wasn’t that bad.” Will shrugged.  
  
”I might not have died, ” the man snapped back. ”But it's still your fault I fell! If you didn't keep it so damned dark down here then maybe I could have seen how slippery it was.”

”Oh yes, how shocking for rocks sitting in the ocean to be slippery,” there was another eye roll. ”Let me run up right now and re-aim the lamp currently keeping ships from crashing into those rocks. Down at the ground. To light the way on the beach. For the convenience of my trespassers.” Will scoffed with a laugh.

”Yeah, you should get on that.” the guy choked back a laugh of his own.

  
The original outrage of the fight broken, they both acknowledged how ridiculous the whole argument had turned and shared a laugh.

  
”Uh, I know I didn't get permission, but...” the man but his lip, suddenly nervous, and asked ”You, ummm, you aren't going to call the cops are you?” With some, deeply fake, chill he clearly wasn't feeling he added ” It's just if Shitty has to leave his dinner out with Lardo to bail me out...well, he's gonna be super annoyed and-”

Will didn't even bother pretending to consider it before reassuring him ”Nah,” at the look of relief, he continued ”I might just hold you hostage for more of your friend’s pie though.”

”Sounds fair, but - Could you hold me hostage inside at least? I'm kind of freezing here...”

”Oh shit, yeah, sorry, ” Will pulled the blanket, which had still been hanging over his shoulders, off and offered it to him.

He shook his head wondering how it had ended up that he was apologizing and even showing this guy over to his door when every part of him would normally be screaming at him to leave...

  
It had been one hell of a strange day.


	5. Chapter 5

Will opened the door, leading his trespasser-turned-guest through to the mudroom. 

“Mind you stick to the mats, don’t drip all over my floors,” Ugh. When had he turned into his Ma, God rest her? He wasn't some shade of a house proud homebody, really. It was only, well, the one thing worse than cleaning was all the messes that only got worse if you didn't keep up with it. He shook his head, who was he even trying to justify this to? Himself? He liked things just so, and it was his home. “Actually, leave the shoes here and follow me. I’ll find you something dry to wear.”

”You don't have to-”

Will looked pointedly down towards the, already growing, puddle at the guy’s feet. ”I _really_ do.”

He took off his sopping wet sneakers and started to leave them beside the door on the wood before seeing Will’s look of near horror and moving them to the carpet runner with a nervous smile. ”Dry _would_ be warmer, thanks. Lead the way.”

-

Will dug through his drawer chest looking for pair of sweats and a not too beat up t-shirt, grateful he had actually remembered to wash, dry _and_ put away his clothes last week. For once. That was another one of those chores that always seemed to pile up. Pausing another moment to be grateful for Past Will, he pulled a pair of boxer briefs from a new package tucked away in the top drawer.

”Appreciate this. I’m Derek by the way, but you can call me Nursey. Everyone else does.”

”Nursey?” What was it with these guys and nicknames? He added a pair of socks to the clothing pile and handed it over.

”Yeah. Figured you should know my name since you're letting me into your pants and all.” Nursey said with a ridiculous wink.

”Oh. My. God.” He did not just day that. And that wink? Really?? ”_That_ was awful! Is _that_ what passes for a line these days?” Will heckled.

”’These days?’ Between that and the ’keep off my lawn’ act - What are you, geriatric?”

”Only on the inside.” If Nursey only knew the running commentary that had been going through Will’s head the last little while...maybe he aged a _little_ earlier than scheduled. ”Still that line was bad, and you should feel bad.”

”Okay, so maybe not quite geriatric. Middle-aged?” Nurse shot back.

”I can and will take those back,” Will nodded down at the clothes, ”and put you back out on the porch.”

”Truce! Truce! Thanks for the clothes. And the shelter. Most of all for not running me off. So...Should I change here, or....” Nursey trailed off looking for a bathroom or somewhere else private to change in.

Oh yeah, privacy was a thing, Will thought to himself belatedly. Just as well he didn't really have guests, he’d clearly forgotten how to be a normal host ages ago.

”Here’s fine, or there's a bathroom straight across the hall if you want to try and dry off or whatever first? I'm just going to go, and, you know, grab some shit.”

Nurse gave him questioning look.

”The pie? It's still up on the walk. Not much left, but I'll be damned before I let those birds get it in the morning.”

”You know, I could really eat something too...” Nurse hinted.

”Don’t push it, I’ll share my home and my clothes but I will not be sharing that pie.”

”But I could be in shock! I think you're supposed to feed a shocked person.”

”Other than your obvious confusion, thinking I would share even one bite, you don't have any of the symptoms. And treatment involves no food or water, so even if you were...”

”You got me. I'm not in shock, but I am kind of hungry. I skipped out on dinner to be here.”

”And that's my fault how exactly?” Will wasn't sure if he was impressed or annoyed at the absolute gall of this guy. 

Of course, Nursey chose that very moment to use his dripping pathetic condition to full advantage, even adding puppy dog eyes.

Damn those eyes.

”Fine. I'm not sharing the pie, but I might be able to dig a hot pocket or something out of the deep freeze for you.”

-

About 15 minutes later Nursey emerged from the bathroom, looking much more put together and, most importantly, dry.

Will had already hidden away the slice of pie for safe keeping and sat on a stool at the kitchen counter eating what remained in the tin. He handed Nursey a plastic sack to hold the wet clothes, and pointed to the microwave as it beeped, ”food.”

”Not pie, but much better than a hot pocket,” Nursey allowed as he smelled the plate of leftovers appreciatively. “I called and, as soon as he picks up Chowder and Farmer from the bar, Bitty will be here to pick me up. Hope I can leave before the ransom exchange? Doubt even he could get a pie made whole driving all over.”

“Sure, let him know I accept IOUs paid in the form of food quietly left on my doorstep. Now, tell the truth, is it just you lurking or should I expect some else to pop out from under my bed later tonight?” Will asked, only half joking. 

”None of _us_ is going to, but word is this place is haunted as hell, so I can't speak for any ghosts.”

”Oh yeah, ooooh spooky ghosts, ” Will waved his hands around mockingly. ”I am _so_ afraid.”

”Legends can't all be lies,” Nursey said with a shrug as he sat on the other stool and dug into the food with a moan. “Okay, keep the pie. I need so much more of this.”

Blushing at the praise, Will mumbled “It’s just a roast. Dump it all together and leave it cook.” In an attempt to take a little attention off him, he changed the subject by nudging the duffel he had run out to bring in with his toe. ”So, do you actually believe in all this or...”

”I guess you could say that I don't _not_ believe in it?”

”Oh, well with those convictions I can see why you take time and travel all over to do it every year. And why you paid who knows how much for all the shit in there.”

”We didn't start for me, I'm just...along for the ride? Mostly?” Nurses looked down with a frown as the fork scraped his empty plate.

”So it’s for who exactly?” Will asked, as he went and warmed up the remainder of the potatoes from the fridge. See? He could host. He had manners. Sort of.

”Jack, mostly.”

”Jack? Really? The quiet guy with the notebook? _He's_ the gung-ho ghost hunter?” Will was surprised, he seemed the mostly normal of the whole group. Not really a ringleader sort, at least that was what he’d thought anyway.

”Not exactly,” Nursey replied after thanking him for the refill of his plate. ”I’m not even sure he believes in ghosts actually.”

”Well, now you _have_ to explain.”

”You’re going to think it’s weird-”

”You guys? Weird? Oh yeah. _That_ ship has sailed. Hours ago. Can barely see it from here. Lost over the horizon. No lighthouse guiding it back-”

”Okay, okay I get it. Haha we’re weird. Do you want to mock me oooor,”

”I have to choose?”

Nurse glared, but explained anyway. ”So I say it's for Jack, because he's the reason we started. First couple years out of school we had regular meetups and whatnot, it was like we were still all together just with a little longer breaks in between, right? Then one year, there was this, uh, really big deal? That Jack wanted to close at work, yeah? And no matter how hard he worked toward it, he couldn't. Really sucked. Went to this big rival of his-”

”Rival?”

”Yeah, like, umm, they used to work together? But now they're kind of in opposite sides of the business. It's a thing. _Anyway_, ” Nursey hurried on with the story, cutting off the chance for further interruptions, ”Bitty could tell he was torn up about it - all of us could really - and so we wanted to distract him. Except, and I'll deny this if you tell him I said it, but his interests can be a little...boring. Gross nasty fishing. Country club shit I’d rather not do, like golf. And most of all history. So much history. Boy could tour a fort for daaaaays.”

”History isn't so bad! S’long as I'm not the touree,”

”Is that even a word?”

”Shut up and finish your story, ” Will said with a light shove.

”If you're done interrupting,” Nursey paused, eyebrow raised, before continuing. ”So we were all brainstorming ideas of what would be fun for our history nerd friend but not mind-numbingly dull for everyone else and it came to us - ghost hunting. All the history and research his heart could possibly desire about each haunted place along with the possibility of some excitement for the rest of us. And even when we don't find anything, we all have a little trip away together out of it. It’s always good to meet back up after a while apart. Everyone wins.” 

”Except the locals-”

”Most are happy! Some people actually like tourism, you know. Besides, you got a pie out of it, so-“

“Fair enough. I guess. So - if you're all such good friends, why did they ditch you out there when they left earlier?”

“Umm...That’s not really their fault. You see, I was supposed to wait in the car until Bitty and Jack got the go ahead. I just decided to sneak out and get a jump start before we lost the light.”

“Confident much? Did you really think I’d cave that easy? Not that anyone listened, but I _had_ already said no earlier.”

”Honestly? It never even occurred to me that the pie bribe would fail. It hasn't yet. Literally never.”

”It is good, but...never? _Really_?”

”Seriously. Bitty has been getting into and out of things with his baking skills ever since I've known him. If you ask him, ever since he was tall enough to reach the oven controls.”

Will was grudgingly impressed on Bitty’s behalf. And, he admitted to himself, if he had tasted the pie before sending them away, it probably would have worked on him too. ”But when it _did_ fail?”

”When they saw I wasn't in the back anymore, Bitty texted and asked if I wanted him and Jack to wait at the turn for me to walk out. Figured this might be my only chance and told them to go ahead -”

A horn sounded from outside at the same time Nursey’s phone skittered across the counter with a vibrated alert.

”That’s me. He's trying to keep the others contained, so I better hurry. Thanks again.” Nursey made his way to the door.

”I’d say you're welcome, but I’d hate to encourage future deviance so I guess I'll just say- that wasn't as bad as I expected.” Will walked him out to the porch.

“Careful, Poindexter, you’ll give me a big head with all that praise.” Nursey called back on his way to the car.

”It’s Will!” he yelled, but the only reply was a wave out the window as they pulled away.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will has a another, more welcome, visitor drop in

The next day Will was woken up by gentle clinking sounds from outside, the sun already high in the sky. He couldn't remember when he last slept that long or that well. And what a nice noise to wake up to. Much better than a blaring alarm or even horns on the water. Peering through the window he saw his beachcomber neighbor running her fingers through a wind chime, newly hung from an old plant hook. That explained the sounds. He caught her eye with a nod and motioned he’d be just a minute. After starting the coffee, because priorities, he threw on enough clothes to be presentable before heading out to the porch with two steaming mugs. He held one up in offer, but she waved it away.

”Oh, no thanks. Just stopping in for a moment. Wanted to make sure you got this,” she gestured at the seashell wind chime.

”You didn't have too, but I love it,” and Will did. The strings of smaller shells and wrapped sea glass hanging from a piece of driftwood with thin strands of twine looked great. Beautiful without being too fussy.

”This one felt like it belonged here. And they're at least half your shells anyway, so…” she shrugged.

”Still, thanks.” He said, smiling at the chime. He hadn't changed much when it came to the house, outside of switching from his small childhood room to the larger guest room, in the years since the place became his. There was just something about the familiarity of seeing all his family's things, just as they'd always been, that was comforting. He could almost pretend they'd just stepped out for a while. Someone had tried to tell him that wasn't healthy. It was the last time they were invited in. Anyway, he thought, if he _had_ been inclined to make a change, something like this is exactly what he would have chosen himself. 

”So...” His visitor stalled, fiddling with a hem on her dress, like she was nervous to even be bringing it up. ”I heard a rumor around-”

Will interrupted to ask, “Sure you won't take the coffee? Because _I_ heard gossip over hot beverages is standard operating procedure. Especially if you're planning on grilling a person.”

”Not grilling,” she protested, ”discussing!”

Will quirked a smile, ”You might as well come out with it. You did come bearing a gift and everything.”

She breathed a sigh of relief. The sort that comes with knowing there's a line and that you’re dancing close to it. Will recognized it, because it came with nearly everyone who knocked on his door these days. Unlike with the others, he felt slightly bad hearing it come from her though. She was the quiet sort that he appreciated. Well worth answering a question or two, he told himself.

”So,” she continued, ”the rumor is you're accepting visitors again?”

”Not willingly.”

He’d suspected it was something of the sort. That group was hardly subtle and someone making their way out to The Point not just once, but three times in a day was bound to draw attention. The last thing he needed was people thinking that that was okay with him. Thing was, he had ended up hermit like little by little. First in defense from seemingly endless parade of, generally well meaning, he allowed, visitors after his parents’ accident. Then came the people that had made him clam up and cling tighter to his privacy. The ones who acted like he was some poor little orphan child, suffocating him under a ton of casseroles and pitied looks on their frequent check ins. Which, okay, technically he _was_ an orphan. And not _great_ at cooking. But he was an adult, and capable of figuring it out. Worse yet were the people who followed them. Discretely tucked business cards that filled him with anger when he’d find them later while clearing up.

No, he didn't want to sell. No, he didn’t want to leave the only home he knew. No, he would _not_ feel better with a fresh start. What he wanted was to be left alone, he had yelled at the last agent that had come with an, entirely unsolicited, offer to buy him out.

From then on, it was common knowledge that visiting the lighthouse was at your own risk, and best to be avoided unless with good reason. And Will preferred it that way.

He realized he’d been scowling, lost in thought for far too long, when an anxious voice grabbed his attention again.

”I can go? If you want?” she offered, looking nervous again.

”No, no. You-You're fine. Hardly a visitor at all.” Will reassured, waving away her concern.

”Thank you. I think? Now, about those _other_ visitors...I so rarely get the scoop, throw me a bone?”

”True, if word’s reached you it must be all over.” Will sighed. ”Yeah, I had some visitors yesterday. Not invited though. Tourists of the supernatural curious type. They haven't been over bothering you are they?” Will asked, worried because her little scrap of waterfront was always a popular spot for those sorts and, so far as he knew, she was all alone there.

”Oh no, I’ve just seen them ...around. Talking to people in town, trying to find places to check out I think? Pretty sure they barely noticed me, to be honest. They seem nice enough though. I haven't heard many complaints around, at least.”

”I guess.” He thought about the pie. And the not entirely unpleasant talk with that Nursey guy later. ”Kind of pushy though.”

”William. You think the postman is pushy when he rings the bell for packages.”

”After all these years does he really need a signature? He knows I'm the only one out here!” recognizing her almost fond exasperation, he admitted, ”fair enough, but still,”

”Come on, is it _that_ bad? Talking to people?”

”I talk to _you_. I'm talking to you right now.”

”People other than me. After all, you're the one who just said I hardly count.”

”What about Miss Pam?”

”What about her?”

”Just last week I talked to her. She came around to ask about being on the historic registry tour next season.” He didn't add that the only reason he had answered the door was Miss Pam’s history of persistent repeated visits until she was at least acknowledged. Hard one to drive away, she was.

”And you told her?” she asked, already knowing the answer.

”Well, no. Obviously. But! I don’t see you running the social circuit either.”

”This isn't about me.” She took a deep breath and continued, seriously, “I know it’s not my business, but ... it’s only that you seem lonely sometimes. Might not hurt to occasionally talk to someone other than a fellow recluse like me.”

”You know - last time I let people-”

She had had a front row seat for the driving away of that last agent. It was probably the last time she’d had the gossip before everyone else, Will thought. 

”Look, these people?” she said, cutting off the rant before it even starts. ”They aren’t here to try and push you off the rock. They’re just here for a little adventure. They're hoping to see someplace new and maybe get a story to tell out of it. And if humoring them is so awful, remember that they'll be gone soon anyway and you can consider this practice being a normal human.”

He allowed that she might be right. Possibly. But - ”I'm fine here alone. I don't need other people hanging around upsetting my routine. I'm fine!”

”Of course you're fine. I can tell by how you said it twice. And shouted the last part.”

”Well, I am!”

”Clearly.”

He frowned, and decided to switch tactics. Trying to reason with her. ”Right now it seems they're just wandering around more lost than not. Do you _really_ want them led around by me? Might be better off to have them stumble in all the wrong spots than poking into people's business. Besides,” and this was his best argument, ”you told me yourself, just last winter, that you hated worrying about strangers lurking around outside the house at all hours of the night.”

”I’m not worried now. I have some things that need doing, so I’ll be making myself scarce for a few days. So long as you can keep them shy of breaking and entering it'll be fine if they want to camp out in the shore, for all I care.”

She moved to leave. ”Tell me you'll think about it. Might be a nice break, having something more to do than stare at the ocean all night. You might even make a friend, who knows. Then you wouldn't have to listen to me worrying about you being all lonely out here...”

Sometimes Will forgot that the people watching went both ways.

”I'll have you know, _if_ I do this, I'm doing it for you. I'm _not_ lonely.” he insisted, a little weaker this time.

”Of course not, but-” 

”I’ll consider it. For you. _If_ they come back this way.”

”That’s all I ask.” she said, and then left.

Will grabbed the mugs from the railing, one still full, and brought them inside.

He hadn't lied to her. He wouldn't go looking for them, but he wouldn't chase them away either if - who was he kidding - _when_ they came back.

He was pretty sure he was going to regret this.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quick little shopping trip. Nothing to see here. Nope.

Will hurried through his shopping quickly as he could. It wasn't his favorite chore - too much small talk and ’how you been’ - but a quick poke through his cupboards was all it took for him to realize he couldn't put it off much longer. Other than the crisper full of things he’d picked up last market, things were looking a little bare. Maybe if he hadn't have given away the last of his leftovers he could have put it off another day, but he had and it was only a day anyway. Besides, it seemed like luck was on his side. His cart was piled up with the staples and the most interaction had had to deal with was a couple of silent head nods. In and out mostly unnoticed. Just the way he liked it. 

He was standing in the check out line, congratulating himself on a successful venture into the public, when he heard some commotion from the produce section.

Everyone in the front turned to stare when the giant blonde from his personal hell of a tourist group shouted “Hey Bitty, you could just ask him!” and then pointed directly at Will.

Will quickly looked down without making eye contact and wished desperately for the power of invisibility.

“Hey you! Mister!” came another shout.

Fuck. Still visible. 

The checker pointed back to the group as she scanned his items, “Know them?”

“Nope.” Will lied while silently chanting ‘scan faster, scan faster, scan faster.’

“You sure?” Will nodded in response and so she continued. “Oh, do you have the circular coupon for the cheese? It’s half off if you do.”

“What's his name again?” said the voice from produce again, only slightly quieter.

“No, it's fine,” Will said, rushing the checker along. 

“Wait, I might have a copy...” she started digging through a pile of slips alongside the till.

“No, really. It’s okay. Could you just - sorry, I'm in a hurry-”

“Will! HEY, WILL!”

“Okay, you might not know them but they _definitely_ know you.” she said to him just seconds before the sounds of a giant crash rang through the store. 

Everyone looked from the two people buried under the remains of a demolished chip and dip display back to Will. Even the rest of their group was just stuck still, staring at the mess in horror. All except Jack who had moved further back, and was inspecting a pile of avocados like they were the most interesting things he’d ever seen in his entire life.

Will groaned and looked down at the floor, willing it to open up and swallow him whole. When that failed, he buried his face in his hands and muttered, ”I can't come back here. Not ever again.” He thought about how little kids think that if they can’t see anyone that meant they no one could see them...He had never wished more for that to be true. “I’m going to have to find another store. But there are no other stores. I'll probably starve to death. And even then they won't leave me alone. Yeah, they’ll just stay and bother my ghost-“ 

The checker tapped his arm, mid-mutter and asked, “Are you okay?”

“I’m in hell, but other than that just fine.” He handed her his card to run, and motioned at his cart full of bags, “I’ll be right back for these, I just need to deal with _that_. I guess.” He said with a sigh, nodding at the mess in front of aisle 3. 

“If you do, then I won’t have to. Go for it.” She said, handing him back his card and receipt before nudging his cart across to the wall. “I’ll keep an eye on it for ya.”

Shaking his head, Will walked towards the disaster area. Lifting a family size bag of tortilla chips up, he revealed a sheepishly smiling Nursey. 

“Hi. Ummm...Bitty wants to know - What's your favorite pie?”

Smiling in spite of himself, Will grabbed Nursey’s hand, pulling him to his feet. “The kind that doesn’t come with a side order of humiliation?”

“Sorry, think it’s a little late for that. If it helps, I think most of the embarrassment falls on me and Chow here?”

”Maybe.” The other customers had gone from outright stares to covert looks, at least pretending to mind their own carts. “Bitty doesn't have to make me any pie. He already made the one, and I wasn't _actually_ holding you for ransom-“

There was a laugh from under a pile of potato chips, and a muffled voice said “He said holding Ransom.”

”Who’s holding Ransom?” the loud one asked before awkwardly trying to throw his friend over his shoulder. ”That’s my job!”

”Holster! Put him down right this instant and help clear this mess up.” 

With Bitty ordering the action, the display was reassembled in no time at all. Basically. The cardboard standees were a lost cause and the wire racks _did_ lean the left a little bit, but still. It was a good deal better than the entire contents being scattered all over the aisles. 

”Now about that pie-” Bitty said, as he dusted his hands off against his pants.

”You don't have to, really.” It _was_ a sacrifice - because damn that was some tasty baking - but he figured no pie meant no more visits. Will knew it was a bit of a stretch on his promise, but figured if he didn't have them at his house then he wouldn't have to actually agree to help with their touring.

”I saw your face when you ate what was left of the first one. You aren't going to stand there and tell me you don't want another.” Derek argued. ”Besides, I basically promised.”

“Which is only one of the reasons why you’ll be helping if you can keep your feet under you and stop demolishing things that is. Now, Will, anyone that eats an entire pie in one sitting is a person in desperate need of more pie. I can't ignore that. So what will it be?”

Will was mentally weighing the desire for more pie against the desire to _not_ tramp around in the dark with these people looking for ghosts all night.

“You might as well tell him your favorite, he won't give up.” Jack pointed out, having rejoined the group after the attention died down. ”If you don’t tell him, he’ll only spend the rest of this trip baking until he figures it out.”

Will imagined them making trip after trip up to the house, and it was all he could do to hold back a grimace. And after this scene? There was no way word wouldn’t get back to the neighbor about him seeing them anyway, so was it worth denying himself more pie? Not really.

“Blueberry?”

”Are you asking or telling, hon?”

”Telling, but only if it’s not too much trouble.”

”Far less trouble than we've caused you, I'm guessing.”

”Ayeh, but it's,” Will shrugged, ”whatever. Over and done. I probably should be on my way though. Get that food put up.”

”We’ll be seeing you later then. With pie.” Bitty assured him, checking his list against what he’d already grabbed. Checking his phone, probably for a recipe Will guessed.

After waving at the others, Will grabbed his cart and headed out. Another completely unexpected smile threatening to show itself.


	8. Chapter 8

He could do this.

Easy as anything.

Just a few days of socialization.

Show them around, maybe hold a thing that dings when there’s stuff.

Which it wouldn't. Probably.

And if he helped them, then he would at least know where they were.

No more surprise public humiliation, big bonus.

This would be fine.

Better than.

What's the worst that could happen?

He instantly regretted even thinking that last part.

Too late now, there went the doorbell.

He plastered on a smile, hoping his eyes didn't look as wild as they felt, and opened the door.

”Hi,” Will paused with a look at the group. All nine of them. He took a deep breath and asked, ”Would you like to come in?”

Actually letting them in felt like the most terrifying thing he'd ever done.

Obviously on ’best behavior’ the group filed quietly along behind him into the kitchen, filling every available seat and surface. Will was surprised by how it felt more comfortable than crowded. 

”This one smells even better than the last one.” Will said appreciatively as he set the pie on his counter. ”How’d you manage to make something like this in a hotel room?” He didn't travel much, hardly at all, but knew from even that little experience that you were generally lucky to get even a microwave, let alone a stove. 

”Oh, we're not staying there, we got a little place in town.” Bitty answered.

Jack added, ”We learned better than to rent a place without kitchen access years ago, and the inn wasn't willing to let him in theirs.”

”Something about ’health codes’ and ’safety violations’, nonsense,” Bitty huffed, with finger quotes and a dramatic eye roll.

”You can consider me selfishly grateful you found a suitable place in town then.” Will said, pushing down the desire to dig in immediately, because while he was selfish enough to not want to share he had raised well enough to not eat in front of guests.

Still trying to be a half-decent host, Will did ask if he could get them anything to drink, coffee, tea or whatever. Jack tried to say they were fine, but when a whimper came from the tall girl slumped over the table in the breakfast nook Will decided to start a pot of coffee anyway. There was a bit of awkward small talk as they waited for it to brew. When it was done, Will pulled a few mugs off the shelf for anyone to grab, but filled one up and took it straight over to the table.

”Bless you,” she whispered, flipping her sunglasses to the top of her head before draining half the mug in a single sip.

”Farmer had a rough night trying to keep up-” started the big blond guy, loudly. Holster, Will reminded himself. He was beginning to think the guy only had one volume setting. Eleven.

”Shhhh! Less you, more quiet,” the guy who had been buried under the display with Derek said.

”Thanks, babe” Farmer said, into what remained of the cup of coffee.

Furthering the ’good host’ efforts, and in a rusty attempt to be friendly, Will said to the group, ”Okay, so you all know my name.” Adding in a mutter, ”thank you tourism office. I guess. Let me see if I have yours all straight,” and then he made his way around the room.

”Bitty, Jack,” he started with the two that seemed to be the leaders of the group, if they had such a thing. They both nodded.

”Shitty, umm Lardo?” he cringed on the second name because every part of him rebelled against calling her that. He got a thumbs-up back though, and he continued on.

”Holster and, I think I heard someone say, Ransom?” Two more nods.

”And Farmer with- sorry I don't think I caught yours?” Will faltered.

”Chowder,” came the answer.

”Which leaves Derek, ” Will finished.

”Oooo! He real named you, dude!” Chowder teased.

”Sorry, Nursey,” Will corrected. ”It’s just- what's with all the nicknames, anyway?”

There was a chorus of simultaneous answers - School, sports, college, hockey.

Will nodded like he had an idea what any of those things were like. He didn't often feel like he’d missed out, staying behind here, but sometimes...he wondered what it would be like to have a close-knit group of friends like these. Might be nice, strange nicknames aside.

”I’m still working on yours,” Shitty said. ”I’m leaning toward Dex.”

”Do I get a say in this?”

In unison, like some sort of creepy hive mind, ”No.”

Three pots of coffee later, with a sink full of rinsed mugs and a lull in the conversation, Jack said, ”So, um, I guess we should be going? Let you get to,” he made some vague hand gesture at the room.

Will knew this was his last chance. Either to say goodbye and let them go - Return to his quiet, solitary, week. Or to offer up his knowledge and help - Maybe feel part of something for a change.

It was weird. He never felt lonely once before he had been forced into their company. It had only been a couple days since, but as he looked around the room he realized - he wasn't sure he wanted to go back. Not yet anyway.

”Actually, did you still need help with, you know, the wooooooo stuff?” Will asked, quickly before he could talk himself out of the offer.

”’Wooooooo stuff’ being?” Ransom asked, copying Will’s odd hand motions.

”That means ghost things, ” Nursey explained.

”Is this a trick?” Bitty asked. ”You really want in?”

”Yes?” Will tried to answer confident, but it still came out more as a question.

”So, you mean we can look around your property?” Jack questioned.

”No,” Will started, then seeing their looks of confusion clarified quickly, ”I mean you _can_. But here’s not where you _really_ want to be.”

”But the pamphlet said-”

Will interrupted Chowder with a wave of his hand, ”Yeah, that's 90% nonsense. I know where you actually need to be. And even if it's not the right time of year for what you're thinking to do, _if_ you believe the stories-”

”Do you?” Lardo stopped Will to ask.

”Do I what?”

”Believe the stories,”

”Well, I don’t _not_ believe in them,” Will said, sharing a secret smile with Derek. No, Nursey. His friends called him that, maybe he should too? I mean they were getting to be friends, right? Kind of? 

”An open mind, I can dig it,” Lardo declared approvingly. ”Carry on.”

”Anyways, _as I was saying_, the stories would all have you here later than you are, but I'll help best I can now. If you want, that is. Just, ya know, don't take it too hard if you don't find what you're looking for?”

Bitty with the question this time, ”Why the change of heart?”

”Community service?”

”I know we basically just met, but sounds fake.” Chowder shot back, with the rest giving equally dubious looks.

Will sighed. ”Okay. So maybe someone pointed out that taking a break from being a shut-in might be good for me.”

“Now that tracks.” Nursey added, with a bump to Will’s shoulder, ”aaaand you like us.”

”I wouldn't go _that_ far.” Will denied, weakly even to his own ears.

Nursey gave a hugely put on pout.

”_Maybe_ you're starting to grow on me.” Will allowed. When he got a hopeful smile back, he added with a smirk, ”like a fungus.”

”Nah, you like us, just admit it.” Nursey pushed.

”Invasive parasitic fungi,” Will insisted, but his blushing smile gave him away. Damn his glass face.

Jack spoke up, reminding Will there was an entire room full of other people, ”You really mean it? You'll help?”

”I do, yeah.” God help me, he added silently to himself.

“I might just kiss you for this, you beautiful ginger fuck.”

Will looked pained as Shitty tackled him into a tight full-body hug.

“Don’t make me regret this. That’s all I ask. Well, not all-”

Will went on to list some ground rules, which actually boiled down to two main things. First, no one explores the shore road alone after dark. No exceptions. Second, no random trespassing. He would let them know where was okay to go, and that was that. No lurking around people’s homes without permission. That one directed mostly at Nursey, who, in his defense, _did_ look apologetic. They talked out a plan, deciding everyone should rest up for a couple hours in anticipation of the all-nighter to come. Then the group would gather their materials, pick up some pizza and meet back at Will’s for dinner. With them supplying dinner, he would supply the game plan for the rest of the night. Depending on how things went, well, they play anything beyond that by ear.

All in all, everyone felt good about where they stood. Even, to his own surprise, Will.

He wasn't sure he wanted to give his neighbor the satisfaction of telling her, but he was cautiously optimistic about the night to come. 


	9. Chapter 9

Will was pretty sure he had let more people in this week than he had the entire last few years combined.

But as he sat, warm slice pizza in hand, surrounded by excited people, tinny music playing from a phone speaker in the background - atmospheric mood setting dude! - he just couldn't bring himself to regret it.

_This_ wasn't casserole he’d never eat, because unlike his ma, they didn't know how much he hated broccoli.

_This_ wasn't cries of ’you poor dear’ with too many looks of concern.

_This_ wasn't suffocating under someone else’s pity. Or worse being told he’d be better off elsewhere.

**_This_** was...Well, it was nice.

A little busy, a lot loud, but _nice_.

He’d been leaning against the counter, just listening on the sidelines, for the better part of two slices when he felt a nudge to his arm. Nursey. ”Hmm?”

”You okay?” Nursey asked, concerned. ”I know we can be a lot, and, um, you haven't said anything in a while?”

”No, oh I mean yeah. I'm fine. It's just, I never knew it could be this way?”

Confused, Nursey asked, ”What could be which way?”

”People here. Feels right,” Will answered, glancing around at everyone again with a small smile. ”Comfortable. It's unexpected. I like it.”

”Usually quiet, way out here?”

Will nodded. Not wanting to point out that the main reason it was quiet was because he’d chased off nearly everyone left around. ”Been some years.”

”Maybe we showed up at the right time.”

”Maybe so.” Will allowed.

”Look, it’s good to be friendly.” Nursey pointed at his plate, ”Sometimes you even get pizza.”

”I could order my own pizza, you know. Have done. Many times.”

”Ah, perhaps, but you're forgetting one thing. It’s a proven fact, free food tastes better.”

”You have me there. That must be what it is. The free pizza.”

”Life-changing.”

”Yeah, it is.” Will replied, not just thinking about the pizza.

Deciding that following that train of thought was probably not the best idea, Will decided to get everyone’s attention and do what they were there for.

Or _try_ to get their attention.

Throat clearing and talking weren't cutting through the noise of all the separate conversations, and even hand waving was useless. He really didn't want to shout, but - Will looked helplessly over to Nursey, who snapped in the direction of Holster. He nodded and put his fingers in his mouth, letting out a truly ear-piercing whistle.

Suddenly the room was silent, and, with a small bow in his direction, Holster said, ”The floor is yours, Dex.”

Here goes nothing, Will told himself. He was not so great at this much undivided attention. Not at all. But someone had to start the ball rolling, right?

”So, uh, maybe tell me what you know so far?” Will asked the group, but directed mostly towards Jack who seemed the most research-minded with his notebook and love of history and all. ”You know, about the ghost, the history, questions you're trying to answer?”

Shitty spoke up, ”We’ve got some basics, but not much.”

”And there’s conflicting info all through,” added Lardo.

Jack said, nodding, ”It’s been frustrating, trying to sort the truth from rumor.”

”Part of the problem is because the paper of the time was little better than a rundown of the village gossip. Fine line between rumor and news.” Will told them. ”Then you add in all the other similar stories over the years. Not just here, but all over the coast, and eventually every legend becomes a mish-mash of a dozen others.”

”And New England isn't exactly hurting for ghost stories, ” Shitty pointed out.

”Exactly,” Will agreed. ”Hoping to clear up what I can for you, but, honestly, there's some things we'll probably ever know.”

Jack opened up his notebook to start the rundown, ”Okay, facts the sources all agree on. The ghost is likely that of a lady named Louise Maine. Out of towner. Rented a room at the local inn. Disappeared her first night, found somewhere between the next day and a week after? That part varies.”

”Some people don't think that was her real name, but that's what she gave at the inn. Yeah, she was from away. This place was even smaller back then, and even tourists tended to be families repeating visits yearly. Her being a complete unknown meant she stood out. She was missing for 5 days. That's one of the few things actually in a report, but, for some reason, people still get it wrong.”

”Why do they think her name was fake?” Ransom asked.

Bitty answered, ”because after she was gone, they had notices out everywhere about her. Trying to find kin? And no word came back.”

Will nodded. ”Contacted police as far away as New York even.”

”So if she had people they never knew where she went or what happened?” Holster asked.

”Nope. Some people think maybe she didn't have anyone left,”

”Why?”

”Everyone described her black clothes, and that's all she left behind in the room too. Some took it as a sign she was in mourning.”

Random said, ”Either way...that’s so sad.” Holster nodded in agreement.

Will himself agreed. The fact she was unclaimed, no one noticing her absence, at the end had always been the saddest part of the story to him. ”I don't think you'll find a ghost story without a deep tragedy at the root, and this one has potential for a few”

”What about the stories that say she was on the run?” Chowder asked.

”Or running booze?” Farmer chimed in.

”No, or at least it didn't seem like it? I never bought those ones anyhow. By all reports, she seemed quite reputable. ’A real lady’ most people said. Didn't seem anxious or suspicious, which you'd expect if she was doing either. Really, the only odd parts about her visit were that it was her first time in town and her being there on her own. There were people who didn't like her being escortless. I think the reports saying she was up to something, or hiding from someone, probably came from some guy judging her, a single woman traveling on her own-”

”Why wasn't she home taking care of a family or with her own blah blah,” Shitty rolled his eyes.

”Basic bullshit.” Will confirmed.

”Fuck the patriarchy!” came a yell from Farmer.

Quickly followed by, ”Damn right!” from Lardo.

”You’ll get no argument from me!” Will put his hands up. ”Then when she said she was headed out to the shore and refused to let anyone accompany her that would have upset them even more. The only thing I'll say in their defense, is that it _is_ a dark and dangerous road. Not that going off with a stranger would have been necessarily safe either, obviously, but her not knowing the area and if the fog had come up? It _would_ have been dangerous. The shore road would have been the longest part of making her way to the harbor, and,” adding with an air quote, ”where there are the most ’sightings’ even today.” 

Chowder said, excited, ”I think _we_ saw someone on the road going back last night! Maybe it was her!!!???”

Will shook his head, ”Nah. Probably saw my neighbor, she lives just offshore across the way. Walks that damned road after dark all the time. Insomnia, or something,” he said with a shrug. With a frown, he continued, ”I’ve tried to warn her it isn'tsafe. It wouldn’t be the first accident there, but what can you do? People have been ignoring that advice for more years than I've been alive. Clearly.” 

“Well, if she’s always walking that way, has _she_ seen things?” Nursey asked. Adding hopefully, “Maybe we can talk to _her_?”

”Talked to her yesterday, and she said she wouldn't be around, but,” Will continued quickly, after seeing the disappointment in Nursey’s face, ”she _did_ give permission for you guys to explore the land. Beach frontage, outside the house. No breaking and entering though! I promised I'd keep an eye over.”

Will looked across the room to see Bitty pointing to the notes questioningly and whispering while Jack tried to both shoo and hush him. He couldn’t hear what they were saying, but there seemed to be some sort of debate going on. ”Whatever it is, you might as well ask,” he told Jack.

”I don't want to-” Jack started nervously, looking to Bitty who motioned him to continue. ”I’m not saying, I mean, I don't think-” he paused before continuing, all in one breath, ”There was this one book. It said the lighthouse keeper was a suspect. And I'm not saying I think he did! But do you know why they would say that? Was it just because she washed up into the harbor? I don't mean to say I believe your relative would-”

Will held up a hand, interrupting him ”Jack, breathe.”

Jack mumbled down at the table, ”Sorry Dex, but I didn't want you to think we were blaming your family, or disrespecting you in your own house, or-”

”It’s fine. I know you aren't.” Will pointed out, ”Do you really think I’d be shy about booting your asses out if I believed that for a minute?”

Looking relieved that he actually hadn't upset him, Jack smiled, ”No. You don't seem to have a problem doing that...sticking to it maybe.”

”Usually not, but first time for everything so I guess you've got me there. One thing though,” Will asked, ”That wasn't even a widely published theory. As far as I knew, it only made it into one true mystery collection book and that was decades ago. Where did you even find it?” 

Jack shrugged, ”I go to a lot of libraries.”

Chowder threw a napkin at him and said, laughing, ”Yeah you do!”

The whole group joined in the laughter, which made Will feel...not great? Already a little on edge, feeling left out of the joke almost felt as bad as being the brunt of it. Was he? He could feel himself getting defensive as he asked, ”What? I don't get it.”

”Had to do something other than take weird pictures.” Lardo explained. Sort of.

”What now? So you have a photography thing?” Will asked Jack.

”No, well yes, but not this.” came Jack’s half explanation.

Bitty cleared things up much better, saying, ”Jack and Chowder both travel a lot for work. Couple years back they got into a competition for who could take the most pics of Nursey’s books in different places. Airports, bookstores, libraries.”

Will turned to Nursey, ”You're an author?”

”Kind of.”

”’Kind of’, he says,” scoffed Ransom.

Will wondered if he should have made them promise not to write a book about this. There were enough versions out there already, and he really didn't want to see more. Drawing extra attention. Especially if he was letting them in on things, what if more people showed up on his door. He thought this was a hobby thing. Shit. What had he gotten himself into- ”You won't...this isn't...you not planning to write a book about all of this are you?”

”Nah, I wouldn't. First off, I’m not that big a deal. Not that anyone would read anything from me to do with this. History, fiction or otherwise. I'm more a poetry guy. Second, even if I did that kind of writing, which I don’t, clearly you value your privacy. I wouldn't do something like that, especially without talking to you first.”

”Thank you,” Will let out his breath, relieved. ”Hold on. You say you're not a big deal, but you _must_ be good to have your book all over though...Are you famous?”

”Mildly? I guess? I mean, I won some awards or whatever.” Nursey answered, flustered.

Teasingly, Will asked the others, ”What's it like having a famous friend?”

They all looked around at each other before Shitty answered, ”It sure is...something.”

”Well, if I realized I was in the presence of a celebrity, I would have done something special. I don't know, pulled out actual plates or something” he smirked and tossed a crumpled up paper plate at Nursey.

That got some laughs all around, but if it came a little strained from between Jack and Chowder Will didn't notice. He also didn’t notice Bitty patting Jack’s arm.

”Okay, anyway, back to your questions Jack,” Will continued, ”There’s no way Great Grandfather would have been responsible. Definitely not. He was the nicest- he just wouldn't. If there was any talk about him being involved at all, and I didn't think there was much of that either, it could have been because some thought he _should_ have been the last to see her. What I always heard, was that he’d gone in from the house to meet a friend at the inn for a drink. Got there not long after she’d left, and heard people talking about her. Asked if he’d seen her on his way in. He hadn't and should have gone right past her, if she headed to the harbor like she said she was going to. Agreeing that she shouldn’t have set off that way on her own so late, he decided to leave right then and keep his eyes out on the way back. Still, he made it all the way back here without seeing a single sign of her. Great grandmother thought maybe she'd seen some lights on the far shore, but couldn't say for sure. The next morning the search really started, but still nothing. They saw her footprints leading from the brush into the sand. GreatGrandfather really had walked right past her, they assumed she must have hidden for some reason. Maybe she was startled by a stranger calling out to her? Less than a week later her body washed up to a rock ledge at the cliff base and she was spotted.

”Was she murdered or, well, how did she die?” Farmer asked, biting her lip.

”Uh, that's the tough one,” Will admitted. ” There are as many theories as there people telling the story. With no one to claim her or to demand follow up, there was barely an official report, no autopsy. Once they gave up trying to track down her people that was the end of all investigation. I've heard just about everything. Only thing agreed on was that when she washed up her hands were tied and weighed down. No obvious cause of death, other than assumed drowning. But why or how and who else, if anyone, was there? No one can say. Complete mystery.”

Lardo asked, ”Where is she buried? Because we searched that whole cemetery and couldn't find her stone.”

”You wouldn't have,” Will answered.

”Isn’t she there? That was the cemetery we read about.”

”She _is_ buried there, but it's not marked,” Will clarified. ”She’s right in front of the tree grove off on the side.”

”You couldn't have told us that? We looked for hours!”

”I mean, I could have. But then I didn't? Not my fault you only asked for help getting there.” Will smirked.

”You, Dex, are a bit of an asshole.” Nursey said, surprised.

”Yep.”

”I like it,” Nursey admitted, and they clinked glasses in a mock toast.

Bitty spoke up, ”If y’all are done, it’s getting late, so what’s the plan?”

”I think we need to split up and pick spots to check out,” Shitty suggested.

”Split up? Are you sure we want to do that?” Ransom worried. ”Every movie and show I have ever watched says that's how people end up missing in the first place!”

”But we only have so long, and we're already behind!” Shitty argued.

”Hey Rans, what if you and I take here?” Holster offered. ”I know the lighthouse isn't likely spot for the ghost since she probably didn't make it out this far, but just in case? Someone should hang back and check it out.”

”I'll leave the house open just in case you strike out and don't want to freeze out there all night. Gets cold on the rocks.” Will offered.

”Me and you?” Ransom asked Holster. ”Okay, sounds good.”

”So that leaves the cemetery, the shore road, and the beach,” Will went down the list.

”Lards and I can take the cemetery, ” Shitty offered.

”_If_ you tell us where we're looking this time,” Lardo qualified. ”Like, I want a map, drawing, something dude. Not just ’under some trees’. There's a whole forest around there.”

”She’s off to the right, under the largest tree. There's a pile of stones right over,” Will told her. ”I’ll draw a diagram or something though. And I'd really feel better if I was at the beach and around there. It's just that my friend’s house is there, and I did promise to watch out for it and-”

Nursey spoke up, ”Sure, that sounds like a good idea. Alright if I go with you?”

”Why not. Best that no one is on their own anyway. Try not to fall in the ocean this time though.” Will said, with a laugh and a shit-eating grin directed at Nursey’s narrowed eyes and shaking head.

”That leaves the rest of us on the shore road then.” Jack said, ”I actually do have a ‘photography thing’ and I kind of wanted to take some shots of the road in the fog before we left anyway.”

“So the four of you can cover that?” Will asked Jack, Bitty, Farmer, and Chowder. It was better than someone going alone, but still, he worried. When they agreed, he told them, extremely serious, ”Now listen. No, _really_ listen. Stick together, and make sure one of you keeps watch for traffic the whole time. Cars come out of nowhere with all the sharp bends and you can’t count on them seeing you.” He looked at what they were wearing, and, other than Jack’s shoes, none of it was all that great for visibility. ”Let me see if I have some coats or vests for you to borrow. You'll need something reflective, I have some stuff in my gear that might work. Some flashing tags, at the very least.”

”We have a few lanterns too,” Bitty told him.

”Make sure you use them, bring spare batteries too. Can't be too safe.”

”We’ll be careful,” Jack assured Will.

Plans made, Will went to dig through his spare gear to see what things he had that might work. He left his phone to be passed around and everyone entered in their numbers. Chowder also downloaded a walkie-talkie app and added him to their group in there as well. Between that and getting ready, they had all pitched in and had tidied up the kitchen by the time he came back in.

With everyone geared up the best he could manage, Will asked, ”I guess we’re ready to go then?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back when I was still insisting to Rhysiana that I was not going to write a fic about lighthouse keeper Dex – like a liar - I picked a picture of a lighthouse that would have been perfect for him anyway. Hendricks Head. Privately owned by a family, loads of warnings not to trespass, private people. And that lighthouse, of course, had a ghost story attached. I fell down the research rabbit hole, and then this happened. I've, obviously, taken A Lot of liberties with it (and will continue to) but that's where I started. The disappearance does make for a pretty interesting story, but, imho and with apologies to Dex, it really doesn't look so great for the lighthouse keeper.  
Who, funnily enough for me connecting it to Check Please, was named Knight.


	10. Chapter 10

They all stood outside the lighthouse, getting ready to split up and spread out across the area. It was a little later than they planned, and the sun was just setting. Might not be so good for keeping a person from tripping over their own feet in the dark, Will thought, but one of the prettiest times of day just the same. Jack clearly agreed. He stood closer to the water with his camera out and pointed over the rocks toward the ocean, clicking away. Biggest smile on his face that Will had seen yet.

He stepped over to where Lardo and Shitty waiting, leaning against their vehicle. ”Okay, you two have the map?”

”Calling _this_,” Lardo waved the marked-up paper plate, ”a map seems overly generous, but sure. I have ’the map’.”

Shitty tried, mostly unsuccessfully, to muffle a laugh behind his fist. ”Be nice,” he choked out.

”Hey now!” Will defended his hastily scribbled map. ”I drew all the roads and marked the one's where you need to go, labeled with names even, for the entire way from here to there. I even drew out the cemetery!” 

”Oh yes. This circle with a bunch of - trees, I guess? - around the edge. Some tombstone half circles. And a bigger tree with a sad face. There's even waves at the edge that say ‘too far’ over them,” Lardo said, unimpressed, ”because _that’s_ where we went wrong last time.”

”See? Everything you need. What more could a person want?” Will knew it wasn't technically the _best_ map, but figured they could check-in if they got off track. Chowder had assured him that the walkie talkie app he found used so little data that, even with sketchy slow service, they should be fine to keep in contact.

Shitty gave up all pretense of not laughing and pulled Lardo close with an arm around her shoulders. ”Not everyone can be an artist, Lards. It’s a fine map, Dex. I actually think I even remember that spot. I just didn't check it out, because there weren’t any markers that far over.”

”There’s a grease spot in the ocean.” she pointed out, dejected. 

”Yeah, there sure is.” he agreed.

Will left them to finish loading up and went over to where Nursey was watching Holster give Ransom a piggyback ride. Or trying to, anyway. There was a lot of lurching and near falls. As Ransom’s desperate attempts to hold on started covering Holster’s eyes, Will shouted, ”Could you **not**?!”

”Come on, Dexydoo, they're just having fun. Remember fun?” Nursey teased.

”Dexydoo?” Will shuddered, ”Absolutely not.”

”Dexy?”

Will narrowed his eyes.

”But Dex is chill, right?”

”It’s - fine, whatever, ” Will shrugged before raising his voice at the other two, who seemed determined to break every bone they had before falling into the ocean, ”If you must, could you at least go about 200 more yards down shore?”

”Why?” Holster asked, even as he started to move further down the drive.

”Because that’s the property line and _then_ if you kill yourselves it’s someone else’s problem.” To Nursey, he said, ”Ma always told me insurance didn’t cover stupid, and I’d like not to find out if she was right.”

Shaking his head at the continued antics, Will asked, ”Do they actually help or is it just a lot of this?”

”Truth? Mostly this. Hey, wanna know a secret?” Nursey asked him.

”Secrets? I love secrets. Just as much as I love surprises.” he answered, totally deadpan.

”Really? Remember you said that.”

”So long as you remember the sarcasm. Wait - remember it why?”

Nursey lowered his voice and pulled Will back over to the rest of the group before continuing, ”Secret - Ransom’s totally terried of ghosts. Holster spends most of these trips keeping him distracted.”

Will, suitably distracted himself with this new information, asked ”Seriously? Whoever heard of a ghost hunter afraid of ghosts? How does that even work?”

”Not very well.” Jack answered for him, putting his camera away in the bag before slinging it over his shoulder. ”For one, We don’t stay _in_ the haunted hotels anymore.”

”A nightmare for him?” 

”Understatement of the year.” Chowder said. ”Last time we tried was at the Borden B&B. Holster took the attic room with him. They were sleeping in there until about 3 in the morning when Rans woke up and basically had a meltdown. Ran down the stairs and through the halls yelling about ghosts out to get him. Woke up the other guests, staff, everyone.”

Farmer continued, ”After that whole scene, it was ’suggested’ we find another place to stay.”

”Yikes.” Will cringed.

Lardo nodded, ”Whole rest of the trip, all he would talk about was how Lizzie had been trying to touch his butt and laughing at him.” 

”Anyone try telling him it was probably just little kid ghosts, and that Lizzie would have been way less playful? More-” Will made a hacking motion with his arms and faux-shrieked, ”Eee! Eee! Eee!”

”Chyeah, they did,” Nursey laughed.

Bitty stared him down, hands on hips, height be damned, ”And that was _what_, Mr. Nurse?”

”_Wildly_ unhelpful,” he answered, attempting to sound, but not looking, very sorry. Clearly parroting something he must have been told at the time.

”Well, they should be fine here at the house,” Will assured them. ”I know _I've_ never seen anything too freaky.”

”Especially when there’s no one throwing things from above?” Nursey pointed out.

Will smiled, ”Like you wouldn’t have done the same?”

”You got me.”

”So, how do you want to do this? Transportation-wise?” Will asked. ”You've got your ridiculous clown car, and I have my pickup...”

”How about Nursey rides out with you, everyone else with us, and we’ll drop them at the far end of the road on our way to the cemetery.” Lardo suggested.

”Then we can work our way back to the harbor from there. We’ll hop in the truck bed to get a ride back to the house after,” Bitty said.

Nodding, Shitty added, ”That way if Lards and I stay the night out there you guys won't be stuck waiting. Makes sense.”

The group agreed, but Will worried, “Are you set up for that? Sleeping out, I mean. It gets really cold overnight, this close to the water.”

”We have a little pop tent in the trunk and a couple kick-ass sleeping bags, we're good.” Lardo assured him.

”If you're sure,” Will said. ”Okay. Everybody remember-”

”Be careful, check-in every hour, and watch the road,” Bitty finished. ”We know, we will, don't worry.”

After getting all loaded up, they headed out to their designated spots.

As they drove by, Will yelled out the truck window to Ransom and Holster, ”Remember, house is open. **But** if you go up, all feet stay on the floor. None of **this**,” gesturing as they switched and Ransom tried to keep Holster lifted up. 

”YES DAD!” they shouted back, in unison, just before tumbling over again, turning into a laughing tangle of limbs.


	11. Chapter 11

Will pulled the truck up close to the house. Well, close as he could get with all the fallen tree limbs.

What had happened to this place, he wondered, getting out of the truck and surveying the mess.

The leaves weren't surprising. After all, they _were_ into fall. Most people didn't even bother raking their camps with how the trees blocked any sun that would have grown grass. But the gutters overflowing? Porch being covered? Even the lattice at the bottom of the porch was half covered with the sort of trash that blew in when the less considerate tourists would hit the beach. Empty chip bags, food wrappers, water bottles and the like.

This was a ‘clear up at the season start’ sort of mess, not the kind you'd expect at a year long residence. And, between the fallen tree limbs and the random brush and twigs, there was wood everywhere _except_ for on the log rack against the cottage, which looked near empty. No way to start the colder seasons. 

He was so distracted he didn't even realize Nursey had gotten out of the truck until he startled at his voice right beside him “Was there a big storm recently?”

Will shook his head. “Not for ages. Storms likely won’t hit the inner point hard for another month yet. Could you hold back here? Let me make a run round the house first.”

He grabbed a flashlight out of the cab before making his way around. There were a couple smaller trees downed in the back, one leaning against the house, but thankfully no broken windows. He really needed to stop back by in the light of day. See to those gutters at least, before she was replacing a roof. Clean up the trash. Maybe cut up and add the scattered branches to her woodpile.

Damn what a mess. 

This sort of mess didn’t pop up overnight, outside of the stormy season at least. And, like he had told Nursey, that hadn't even started yet. That meant all of this had to have been building up for a while. Surely she knew she could have asked for help, right?

As he came back to the front of the house he saw Nursey with a plastic sack that he must have pulled out of the truck cab, filling it with the litter from the base of the porch. He grabbed another bag and joined him.

”Hope this was alright, ” Nursey held up the almost full bag.

”Oh yeah, I mean, thanks,”

”No problem, I felt weird just standing here.”

“Thanks just the same. You know It’s not always like this.” Will told him, tipping his head towards the debris while wondering if that was technically true. After all, when was the last time he had been here? He couldn't say exactly when, but it’d been a while. She just kind of showed up at his all the time. And with her place pushed back in the trees, even though he could see the shoreline, he didn't have a good view of the house. Maybe it had been bad for a while. He knew pride was a thing, but still. She could have asked and he would have been right over, no questions.

He was jarred out of his thoughts by Nursey shaking out a tangled wind chime, “Hey, isn’t this like yours?”

“Yeah, she makes them. Must have gotten knocked off its hook, blown loose or something. Probably should hang it back up. Spot me?” Will asked, already climbing on the porch rail near to one of the empty hooks and reaching back for the chime. A quick wipe to get rid of a spider web, and the chime was hanging again.

Will was grateful for the hands hovering around his hips when a movement, caught in the corner of his eye, had him spinning on the railing to face the house. Nursey’s quick grip helped turn what would have been an awkward backward fall into a, nearly graceful, hop back to the floor and into his arms.

”Did you see that?” Will asked, pulling loose from Nursey’s hold and trying, unsuccessfully, to peer through the dirty window.

”My sweet save?”

”No, idiot, the curtain. I swear it twitched.” He knocked on the door, calling out, “Hello? Anyone home?” No answer. He didn’t think she would have stood in the house watching anyway, but he was so sure he saw something. Weird. He pressed his ear to the door, but couldn't hear any sounds of movement. Maybe it had just been a draft?

Will shrugged and hopped back off the porch. “If you want, I can finish up with this while you... I don't know, do whatever it is you do with that stuff in your duffel?”

“How about one more bag first? Like as a thanks for letting us come by. Maybe it will show the spirits I’m friendly and they’ll talk more, yeah?” Nursey reasoned.

“Sounds like nonsense but not like I’ll turn down a pair of hands right now soooo”

Will grabbed the floodlight he had out of the tool chest in the truck bed, hoping he’d remembered to charge it after the last time he used it. He gave a little cheer when he set it on the porch and it turned on. He flashed it in the direction of the lighthouse and watched to see a couple of smaller flashes back.

“Well, they haven’t gone in yet.”

“You know they’ll be thinking that was a ghost or something, right?” Nursey pointed out.

“Then I’ll be sure to do it a few more times before we leave,” Will joked. “Maybe wave it around like it’s floating.”

“Your mind. Evil!” Nursey said, “You would have been so much fun back at the Haus in school dude. The pranks we could have pulled.”

“I don’t know, I’m not much of a space sharer. Like keeping to myself.”

“Really? The grumpy lighthouse keeper _isn't_ a people person? Shocking.” Nursey grinned, “Way to perpetuate a stereotype, dude.”

Will smirked back and flipped him off.

”We’d have worn you down, look what we’ve done in a couple days. Hanging out with the common people, causing scenes,” waving his hand towards the cottage, “trespassing after dark. You’re practically one of us.”

“Not hardly,” Will scoffed.

“One of us. One of us. One of us.” Nursey chanted.

“You are ridiculous.”

“Ridiculously charming?” Nursey asked, plucking a leaf from Will’s hair and handing it to him.

“Ridiculously obnoxious,” Will lied, wondering if it was dark enough to hide the blush on his traitorous face.

Nursey’s thoughtful look made him think it probably wasn’t. Damn. Probably didn’t help that he put the leaf in his pocket instead of tossing it to the ground? Why did he even do that? Like he was some preteen girl going to add it to a scrapbook or some shit? Ugh. 

“I’ll have to work on it then.”

“How about, instead of that, you work on whatever it is you think you're going to accomplish here tonight,” Will said as he plucked the full trash bag out of Nursey hands and took it over to the truck. Coming back he dropped the duffel at his feet. ”Don’t go too far, shout if you need me.”

Nursey gave a mock salute before pulling some things out and heading towards the tree line.

Will had finished picking up the trash before the first check-in calls came through. Listening in, it sounded like everything was going okay. Nothing big to report. Holster _did_ ask about the lights, Nursey blowing him off with a ’maaaaybe’ and an ’I don't know’ with instructions to keep watching the coastline just in case. Will tried to keep his snort of laughter quiet enough to not be picked up.

He'd spent another 20 minutes trying to separate the scattered brush in trash, kindling, ’chop up for the pile’ later when the floodlight started to flicker. He cursed when it completely shut down. Not fully charged after all then. Damn.

He _did_ have a spare but thought it better to save in case of emergency. And his flashlights and lantern were fine for walking around, but not so great for clearing a large area like this.

Figuring he should probably talk to her before doing much more anyway, he tossed the spent light into the truck cab, making a mental note to recharge it later, before catching up with Nursey.

Seeing him behind a shrub Will quickly jumped towards him, grabbing Nursey’s sides, and yelled ”Did I miss anything?!”

”Fuck! You are the **_worst_**!” Nursey yelped and shoved back at him. ”God. Damn." He blew out a breath before continuing, "Nothing yet. _Before you tried to scare me half to death_, I was about to take another walk around the perimeter and do some Q&A.”

”Q&A? Okay, but, ummm, I’m not sure what else I can tell you?”

”Not with _you_.” Nursey held up a recorder and explained, ”I’m going to ask some questions to whoever is out there, and see if I get anything back. I'm recording it so I can play it back louder. Then if there is something the others could hear it later too.”

”And what's that?” Will pointed to the small box Nursey held. It had a pair of square buttons with a small bulb next to each. One marked with a y and the other an n.

”This” Nursey answered proudly, ”is the Answer Machine. I invented it. With some help from Chow. And supplies from Lardo. And naming by Jack.”

”Huh,” Will tilted his head, ”How does it work?”

”This is it's first time out but, in theory, if I ask a question and the spirit doesn't want to, or can’t, answer verbally a little pressure over the switch here will make the bulb above it light up. Green on the left for yes and red in the right for no.”

”So a flashy ouija?”

”No. An Answer Machine.”

”An answer machine is what used to take phone calls, that is - hold on.” Will addressed the box. ”Are you a poor man’s ouija gadget?” He clicked the left button and saw it light up green, ”Oh-hoh! What do we have here? Yes!”

“Smartass,” Nursey went to pull back his gadget when they were both startled by a crash at the porch. ”Wh-what was that?” he asked, shakily.

”Windchime’s down again.” Will said with a frown. ”Give me another hand?”

He grabbed some string from the truck’s toolbox and rehung the chime. This time he wound the string around the hook and over the chime hanger to hold it more securely. He gave it a slight tug from side to side and it stayed hanging. Satisfied, he hopped back off the railing and he and Nursey returned to the equipment bag.

”Ready?” Nursey asked, as he started the recorder and handed it to Will.

When Will nodded, he flipped on the ’answer machine’ and started asking his questions, pausing between each. As he talked, they walked their way around the edges of the property closest to the house.

”Is anyone there?”

”Can you tell me your name?”

”How long have you been here?”

”Do you know what happened to you?”

”Did you tell anyone where you were going?”

”Or what you were doing?”

”Did you have any family?”

”Is there a message you want us to pass along?”

”If you can hear me, give me a sign.”

As the questions went on with no response, or least not one that he could hear or see, Will interrupted, ”This is so cheesy. You're basically talking to yourself in the dark. You get that, right?”

Nursey just continued on, but louder. ”I’m here with Dex. You might have known his great grandfather. Is there anything you would like to tell him?”

Will pulled a face, and Nursey cracked up.

”What was that? A little louder?”

Will narrowed his eyes. He hadn't heard anything, still.

”Oh! You think his jacket clashes with those pants?”

Will growled and pounced.

Nursey choked out through his laughter, ”and the shoes are a disaster?” He was laying on the ground where he’d been tackled, but tried to roll away before adding, ”I agree but I meant about your disappearance?”

All of the sudden Will froze, staring at that stupid ’answer machine’, ”It's lit. What is _that_ supposed to mean??”

Both the lights were lit up.

Nursey pulled himself sitting and shook the box. ”Maybe I hit the switches when I went down?”

He clicked them both off, but the red light clicked right back on. He clicked it off again, and then it stayed off.

Will helped him to his feet, and they headed back towards the front of the house. Nursey repeating his earlier questions. He got as far as ”Is there a mess-” when he tripped over something in a pile of leaves.

The box went flying, green light lit this time. Suddenly the wind picked up, blowing harder than it had yet, nearly pulling the wind chime down _again_ even with the extra reinforcements.

The walkie talkie app went off with Bitty’s voice yelling something, wind there too judging by the background noise, but neither of them were listening.

They were both staring at what Nursey had tripped over. 

It was a rusting ‘For Sale’ sign from a real estate company in the city.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is turning out to be a little bigger than intended, and I am clearly not going to get it finished in time for the end of Fictober  
BUT  
I will be finishing it. Promise! You'll just have some Early November SpookyDoos too  
I hope everyone is still enjoying the story.  
Have to say that all the kudos, comments and subscribes are so much more than I expected so THANK YOU SO MUCH!!


	12. Chapter 12

The wind was whipping like they had their own miniature tornado in the yard. Lights flashing from who only knew where, the beach maybe? The water had to be too shallow for a ship that far into the harbor. Beeps came from his duffel. Equipment that shouldn't even have been on. Bitty was still yelling over the phone app.

All at once it seemed Too Much -

”I NEED EVERYONE TO CHILL FOR **ONE FUCKING MINUTE**!” Nursey snapped, yelling into the phone, ”We’re here, we’re okay. **Just! Chill!**”

Not only did Bitty’s yelling stop, _everything_ calmed down. Even the wind settled down to a gentle breeze. Barely enough to set the wind chimes, surprisingly still holding strong to their hook, clinking quietly.

Will looked up wide-eyed at Nursey before staring back at the sign and muttering in distress under his breath.

”That’s what I’m talking about! Finally some quiet.” Nursey turned his attention back to Will, ”Sorry I didn’t mean to yell, just. Fuck. It’s going to be okay. We’ll figure this out. I just need you to stay calm and focus for me right now. Can you do that?” He was awkwardly patting Will’s back like he wasn’t sure what else to do.

He knew he should answer, but Will honestly wasn’t sure if he could so he just ... didn’t say anything.

He wanted to break into the house.

He wanted to know if his promise not to do just that meant anything if she was - not living there.

He wanted to know what _any_ of this meant. There had to be some sort of reasonable explanation.

He also wanted to rewind to last week and not think about any of it at all.

He didn’t even notice he was shaking until Nursey sat down beside him and pulled him into a tight one-armed hug. Will decided not to think too hard about why that felt so much better and gave in to the urge to lean his head against a comforting shoulder and closed his eyes, pretending he was basically anywhere other than there.

Unfortunately, Nursey’s yelling only bought temporary silence though. He was picking up his phone to try and figure out if anyone else knew what happened when Bitty started shouting again, but this time with enough interruptions that the phone app could barely keep up, let alone Will.

”SOMEONE ANSWER ME RIGHT NOW! JACK IS FREAKING OUT”

”I’m not-”

”AND CHOWDER PASSED OUT!”

”I was just dizzy, it’s-”

”AND FARMER IS MISSING!”

”I’m right **HERE**!”

There were rustling sounds of a struggle and then Jack’s voice came on. ”Bitty’s going to sit down for a minute, ” there was a yell from the background, and a muffled Jack, ”Yes, sit - Until you can stop yelling - He yelled to stop you yelling - I don’t - UGH - No.” With a sigh, he continued on the phone, ”I’m not sure what the hell that was, but is everyone else okay?”

Ransom cut in with a panicked “What is happening over there? We saw a bunch of flashing lights on the beach! The waves looked huge!”

Will whispered to no one in particular, “Our light died. Those weren’t our lights. We don’t have any lights on the water. What the fuck is happening?”

Nursey said, ”I’m not sure what the lights were, but one hell of a storm came up. I think it might be over now.”

Holster, much calmer than Ransom, came on the line, ”I think this has been enough excitement for us tonight. We’re moving inside to wait for everyone else if that's okay?”

At Will’s nod, Nursey assured him it was. ”He left the house open for you guys after all, even without all this.”

“See you soon then,” Holster said, closing his and Ransom’s contacts out the app.

Jack called out, ”Lardo? Shitty? Anything happen out your way?”

”Nothing here, quiet as the dead. Get it? Cemetery? Dead?” Shitty laughed, ”Well, except for - Damn! Lards grab-” then there was a bark - maybe? - before he was disconnected.

Lardo came back on the line, and that was _definitely_ barking in the background. ”If you'll be fine without us, we want to give this a little longer before we come back in.”

”Are you sure that's the best idea?” Jack asked. ”Everyine else is heading back, and-”

”The most dangerous thing here is a skittish dog dodging Shitty’s affection. That's the max excitement. I think we need to get at least another hour’s worth of readings before coming back.”

”But-”

”We’ll be fine,” she insisted

”Any point in trying to reason with you?” he asked

”I think we _both_ know the answer to that. We’ll check in if we decide to stay the night out, otherwise, we will see you in a couple hours max.”

Farmer came on the line next. ”Nursey? Do you think you and Dex could come pick us up? We aren't too far back, but it would help.”

“Is someone hurt?” Will asked, worried. He told them to be careful, and Jack had said they were fine, hadn’t he? What if Bitty _did_ have a reason for all the yelling?

”Not hurt, but Chris is still a little woozy. I'm not sure he should be walking around right now.”

”I’m okay to walk-” Chowder started to argue.

”No, it's fine. Be right there,” Nursey said, already holding his hands out for the keys. Will handed both them and the recorder over without argument. 

Only thing he insisted on holding was that damned sign. He climbed into the passenger seat and sat there still looking intently at it, like it had all the answers scrawled somewhere on it’s surface. If only.

\--

It hadn't been that far a drive to find the others, just a couple of bends further really. If Will had been paying more attention, he probably would have appreciated the way they stood back from the road, flashlights held up. Visible as possible. But as it was, he barely even stirred when they loaded up into the bed of the pick-up.

The ride back to the lighthouse was mostly silent.

Even with the window open, it was too hard to carry in a conversation anyway. They made a couple aborted attempts, but quickly gave up. Made more sense to wait anyway. Get as many of them up to speed at once as possible.besides, they were back at the lighthouse quick as anything anyway.

Before the truck was even fully stopped, Will was out the door and into the house. Dropping his coat and the sign on the side table, he made straight for the kitchen. He clicked on the coffee maker, started the kettle, and pulled some tea bags and cocoa packets out of the cupboard above. Surely that was enough hosting, he told himself as he slumped down into a chair, laying his head on the table.

He would have preferred the corner bench seat, but that was already taken by Holster and Ransom. Since they were kindly _not_ trying to talk to him, he decided to let it go.

Over the next few minutes, everyone else filed into the kitchen. Mugs were pulled off the drying rack and refilled. Nursey made a couple teas, setting one in front of Will before sitting down at his side. Everyone found a seat except Jack who was leaning against the counter and Bitty who had asked if he could make something to calm his nerves. Will had thought he meant tea or something, but then he looked back and saw his countertop full of flour, sugar and all other manner of baking things. Not just a drink then. Still, he wasn't about to discourage baking. Maybe making it would help Bitty to stay busy. Maybe eating some of that would help him. Couldn't hurt in either case. 

Jack called the group to attention to go over what had happened from each of their points of view. They seemed content to talk around him, so Will just sat quietly and sipped his tea as he listened.

Ransom and Holster had seen a bunch of flashing lights on the shore, and Nursey told them that they had only been responsible for the first flash and that had been much earlier in the night. Other than that, there was no activity that they noticed. 

The group on the road hadn't seen anything full on, no ghostly woman in the fog like people reported. They had all gotten that feeling they were being watched though. Between that and occasionally thinking that they saw something just out of the corner of their eyes, they had felt unsettled even before the sudden storm burst.

Farmer had gone into the trees to follow one of those movements but had not, she insisted, ever been lost. She also hadn't been able to track the cause of it either, and admitted it could have been a small animal like a squirrel running in the leaves.

They'd also gotten a few weird readings, one of them being a spike on the EMF meter that hit just as the wind did. Chowder said when the spike hit it felt like everything had tilted and that seeing the machine flash was the last thing he remembered before hitting the ground. He might have passed out, but just barely he said. More like getting intensely dizzy. He was feeling better already and would get the computer to start inputting the data and going over playbacks as soon as Shitty and Lardo returned.

They all turned and looked expectantly at Nursey and Will.

”I did the questions, but didn't hear an answer out loud. Once through the whole way, and then a second time I got mostly through. Haven't checked on this yet,” Nursey handed over the recorder. ”There was a lot of background noise, so you might try and isolate it.”

”Did the box work?” Bitty leaned around Jack to ask from where he was making some sort of cobbler.

”Maybe? Both lights we're on when I fell, but when I said something about falling and messing it up it said no.” Nursey shrugged, ”Could have been and answer but, eh, not enough to rule out coincidence.”

“Don’t forget, when you asked about the message the second time it turned green. Just before the wind came up.” Will pointed out.

”Could be a message on the recorder then,” Chowder said hopefully, fingers already twitching for his laptop.

”Or the message could have been the sign Nursey tripped over-”

”I prefer ’found with my feet’ actually. Let me go grab it,” Nursey said, going to get it from by the door. He returned with the real estate sign, looking even worse for the wear under the lights of the kitchen.

”How did you not see this?!” Holsom gestured at the, quite large, for sale sign. Even with the rust and fading it still stood out.

”The place was a mess when we got there. Looked like it had already been hit by an entire series of storms. This was buried under some leaves” Nursey explained before Will cut in.

”But no storms would have hit there yet, so far as I know.” Will told them.

”Looked it though. No lights, mess everywhere. Even the porch covered, ” he argued.

”It did almost look worse than when the seasonal places get opened up in Spring,” Will allowed.

“If I didn't know better, I’d have thought the place was abandoned.”

”Abandoned? You said that was your friend’s place, right?” Jack asked Will to confirm. “You didn’t end up at another cabin by mistake?”

”No one else over that way. Property butts up against the cliff to the East.”

”And when was the last time you saw her?”

”She didn't leave until yesterday.”

”Odd. Do you have a number for her? Check and see if she's okay?”

Will, shook his head, discouraged. He _wished_ he could just call her. Make sure she was okay _and_ get some answers.

”Supernatural stuff aside, this is a mystery on its own,” Farmer pointed out, everyone agreeing.

”Maybe you can still get in touch with her. Let's look her up,” Ransom suggested. In a way that would have been helpful, except- ”Name?”

”Hmm?” Will stalled.

”Your neighbor? Who we’re talking about? Name?”

”Laur - no, Lou? Or Lucy?” he offered, feeling like an idiot.

Will was constantly forgetting it. The first few times he had to ask her again it was funny. But after so long, he felt like it was annoying to keep asking, and far easier to teasingly call her Beach Bum or just plain Neighbor. Useful in conversation, not so much for looking her up. It just hadn't seemed to matter before.

”Last name?”

”Yeeeah, I don't know,” he admitted, embarrassed.

Ransom huffed, and set down his phone, ”There goes that idea.”

”Sorry,” he said quietly.

Will knew they were getting frustrated with him, but no more than he was with himself. Like he enjoyed not having the answers? This was _his_ friend here. And it was becoming clearer by the second that he barely knew her.

He could tell them pages worth of facts about a thing that had happened almost a hundred years ago but nothing useful about the only person he willingly talked to on a regular basis.

Look, he _knew_ how ridiculous it was. Didn't mean he could change a thing about it at this point. He could feel the frustration building up under his skin and there was nothing he could do to fix it, nothing!

Holster still had his phone out, frowning as he searched the listings under the agent on the for sale sign. ”I’m not seeing a listing here. Any chance you know the actual address over there?”

”No, just the road,” Will mumbled.

”Helpful,” Bitty muttered. The look of horror immediately flashing on his face showed that he had _not_ meant for that to be out loud, but any attempt to apologize was cut off.

”What do you _want_ me to say? I'm a terrible friend?!” Will shouted as he jumped up, shoving the chair up to the table. ”That it doesn't even matter now anyway since she's probably gone like everyone else?! Is THAT what you want to hear?!” He stormed off towards the tower, the door slamming nearly hard enough to shake the house.

After a few moments silence, Nursey spoke up, ”I’ll go after him.”

He went back to the door and threw both their coats over his arm, and then moved into the living room to find a blanket or two. It was cold out there, probably worse higher up.

Bitty cleared his throat. He was standing behind him holding a thermos, ”I topped it off with some more of the cocoa. Tell him I'm sorry?”

Nursey nodded, ”If he’ll let me.”

He grabbed the thermos and a blanket off an old chest, thanking Bitty before going up the stairs.


	13. Chapter 13

Nursey tapped his boot against the door jam in an attempt to knock, ”Permission to come aboard?”

Will called back from his spot, leaning forward against the rails with legs dangling over the edge of the deck. ”Aboard, huh? You can’t tell the difference between a boat and a lighthouse? That's pretty bad, even for a city boy.”

“You should be nicer to me. I come bearing cocoa and blankets.”

”If I send you away, do I still get to keep them?”

”Nope, package deal.”

”Damn.” With a put upon sigh, Will patted a spot on the deck next to him.”Might as well sit down then. I'm not guaranteeing good company though.”

“Figured that was a given,” Nursey teased as he took a seat, passing Will’s jacket over before pulling on his own.

“Ha-Fucking-Ha.” Will retorted as he made grabby hands for the blanket and thermos.

Seeing a shiver out of Nursey, he decided to share and tucked the blanket around both their shoulders. It was big enough they only needed to sit a little bit closer. The extra body heat was a bonus. If there was a comfortable hit of nostalgia for nights past, that was no one’s business but his own. They quietly sat side by side for a while, passing the thermos back and forth, sharing the cocoa. Occasionally Nursey would break the silence, incorrectly pointing out a constellation with a ridiculous fake name. Each time Will would counter with an actual constellation of his own. Other than that it was companionable silence. The kind you don't normally get outside of a long time friendship. Will thought it was nice, almost enough to make him forget why he'd stormed up in the first place.

When Nursey’s stomach growled, Will pointed out. ”You should have brought some snacks too. There were cookies in the cupboard.”

”I wouldn't have gone digging without asking. Besides, he's not done baking yet but Bitty’s probably about two things deep into apology desserts by now.”

”He doesn't have to-”

Nursey cut him off, ”It’s what he does. After years of experience I've learned you can't fight it so you might as well appreciate the goods. That and keep restocking his supplies, but since he's using your kitchen I'd say you've covered that part already.” After a particularly strong shiver he added, ”You should keep extra blankets up here.”

Will pulled the blanket tighter around them, scooting closer to press their sides together. ”Probably so. I used to keep a whole bed up here.”

”Out here?” Nursey said in disbelief, “You did not.”

”Not outside, in the lantern room,” Will clarified. ”When I was little I would spend as much time as I could up here. Started back when my grandfather used to tell me all these exciting stories about sailors and pirates. I always snuck up here, because I didn't want to chance missing the Big Ships. Then I just kept doing it because I liked it up here. Like my own little place on top of the world. Dad finally got me a little fold-up cot and a bin for my pillow and some blankets. I'd sit out here on the deck until my Ma brought me up cocoa and told me to sleep. Then I'd go inside and tuck until morning. Kept it up until a growth spurt had me too tall to fit on the cot.”

”So you’ve always lived here?”

”Yep, since birth. Easy to keep a family house when the family is small.”

”So if this was the family house, how did you end up with this whole thing to yourself?” When no answer came, Nursey shook his head. ”Sorry, that was - you don't have to answer that.”

”Like I said, small family. I was the only child of an only child. We lost my grandparents a long time back. My parents,” Will took a steadying breath, ”They had an accident. On the shore road one night. Fall after I graduated.”

”So that's why-”

”I get uptight about safety on the road there? Yeah.” What he wasn't going to share was how, if it could have been avoided, he wouldn't even drive on it himself. No doubt it played into why he didn't venture much further than he had to those first few months after.

”That’s, man, I don't even know what to say. Damn. I'm sorry. I can't imagine losing my parents like that.”

”Is what it is.” Will shrugged, sadly. He wasn't any better at accepting the condolences than most people were at giving them. Intended that way or not, they always felt like pity, which he hated most of all. “Couldn't see myself leaving after that. As it was, even before the accident, I had already planned on taking a year off to decide what to do next. These days I pick up a few jobs here and there to keep busy, but this place has been in the family forever and insurance more than covers expenses, so why leave now?” Softly, Will asked, ”Can we not talk about it anymore right now? I think tonight has been enough of - that.”

”Sure, of course. Sorry. Didn't mean to bring you further down. Want to talk about what we saw earlier? That was wild.”

”Hmm, no. Not yet. Sort of the same. I want to go back in the morning, but we can talk about it later.”

”Alright, sounds good. Then you probably don't want to talk about why we're up here and not down in the house either?”

”_Absolutely_ not.”

”Okay. I’ve got it. Best topic. There's always the wonder of how I managed to be both the most interesting and good-looking person you've had the pleasure of showing up on your beach in ages?” Nursey said with another one of his damned winks.

Will decided to knock him down a little. In fun, of course. ”Yeeeah, I don't know about that. There's always James. He’s always hanging somewhere nearby. Spent most mornings last week tied off on my buoy, in fact. Surprised you haven't tripped over him yet, he's around so often.”

”James? So, is he a boyfriend, or...” Nursey trailed off.

”Why, you interested? He _is_ single, ” Will went on, deliberately misinterpreting the question, ”and definitely a great character. Real nice to chat with, he always has the best stories.”

”I wasn't asking because I was interested in him, I just - wondered.”

”Probably for the best I don't introduce you then. Wouldn't want you to lead the poor guy on, might take it hard when you let him down. His wife passed about 10 or 15 years back, I think. Been alone since.”

”**_That_** long ago? How _old_ was she - wait, no - how old is _he_?”

”Hmm...Not sure exact. Figure Old Man Jim’s got to be at least, hmmm, 80-something himself.”

”And _he's_ the most interesting and good looking visitor you've had recently?” Nursey sounded incredulous.

”Okay, so maybe I’m giving him extra points for the personality. They are _really_ good stories! Back in the day, they came in real handy when I was about to get in trouble for something my dad had done himself.” Will laughed at the memory. He wasn't one to get into much mischief, but stubbornness and independence he’d always had more than enough of. It seemed that he’d come about it naturally if the stories were to be believed. ”Now, as far as looks. Well, I’m afraid his best days for those are a few decades behind him. Especially since the last of his hair seems to have fled down to his beard.”

”So it is me then,” Nursey bumped his shoulder with a smug smile. ”Interesting and with the looks. Total package.”

”Eh, it's a close tie.”

”Hey!”

”Or, I suppose, you could be _slightly_ ahead,” Will bumped him back. ”Maybe you can rack up some extra personality points yourself and secure the lead. What kind of stories _you_ got?”

”Ummm,” Nursey looked like a deer in the headlights, making Will laugh. 

”Shit. You can't put me on the spot. It's like I've forgotten every story I ever told!”

Will decided to take it easy on him, give him a nudge, ”I’ll help you out. You already know I was the weird lighthouse kid, up here every night. Ever do anything like that when you were little? I mean, not sleep in a lighthouse obviously. But camp or something?”

”Not really. City boy, remember? I never went away to camp and no one sleeping in a tent in NYC is there doing it by choice.” Nursey pointed out with a hint of a grimace.

”Oh, yeah. I guess not,” Will paused. He hadn't thought about it like that. ”What about vacations? You must have gone away at some point growing up. No trips to the country?”

”We did travel, a lot actually, but it was usually to _other_ cities. Sometimes out _of_ the country, never out _to_ the country. You know what I mean? Restaurants, shows, lots of museums.” Nursey admitted, ”We aren't exactly nature people.”

”Cities are too full of people, you missed out.” Will countered.

”I'm beginning to think maybe so. Did fall asleep on the porch roof a few times in college though. That's close to camping, right?”

”You? **_You_** slept on a roof?” Will scoffed, ”I’m not even sure you should’ve been trusted on a ladder!”

”Hey! You don't know me nearly well enough to make that assumption!” Nursey shoved at him playfully. ”Besides, I climbed out a window. No ladders involved.”

”You think I don't know you well enough? We may have just met, but I'm pretty sure I've seen you fall more than enough times to assume that it’s a fairly common occurrence.”

”I caught you once too!”

“Once! And I was distracted, so it _barely_ counts,” Will argued.

”Counting it!” Nursey clapped back.

His phone started to vibrate on the deck again, and Nursey pushed it back further out of sight.

Since it wasn't the first time he heard it go off, Will figured he should ask, ”Do you need to get that?”

”Nah, I'm busy here. Defending my honor and all.”

”You sure?”

He checked the display, ”It's just Bitty, no SOS. It’s fine.”

”Probably wants to make sure I didn't push you over the side.”

”I'm sure he doesn't think anything of the kind.”

”I screamed at everyone and then stormed off. You followed me, alone. Now you aren't answering your phone. He thinks _exactly_ that.”

”It was understandable. He even told me to apologize to _you_ for the comment and the pushing -”

Will waved it off, ”I know how I get. I shouldn't have blown up, but it was just a lot all the sudden, ya’ know? I know its no excuse, and I'm sorry. Just, I'm not used to all the ’people time’ and then all of this and I feel like I'm letting everyone down, even myself, and-”

”First off you aren't letting any of us down. This is hands down our most eventful trip yet. By a mile.”

”Seriously. You've spent more time than anything sitting in my kitchen _waiting_ to do things.”

”Waiting where it's warm, which is better than our usual.” Nursey pointed out. ”Plus you told us where to go, helped with the history.”

”And you've all fed me a couple times over.”

”What’s one more person when a group is this size? And you fed me too, fair’s fair.”

”I’ve yelled at you. More than once.”

Will briefly wondered why he was arguing _against_ himself. Guilt was a weird thing, he supposed. Then Nursey apparently decided it was time to switch tactics, throwing him off.

”Hmmm, that's true. You _are_ terrible. The worst.”

”I’m not saying I’m the _worst_!” Will, tried to backpedal.

”No, you were right. I mean, that's not even going back to the beginning, when you almost murdered me -”

”Oh. My. God.” Will leaned back enough to get a hand on his hip. ”I did **not**!”

”Nearly drowned to death in the prime of my life,” Nursey moaned, holding his hands dramatically over his heart.

Laughing, Will grabbed him by the shoulders and pretended to pull him towards the deck edge, ”I’ll show you near-death-”

At Nursey’s overdramatic yelp and cries for help, Will fell towards him laughing until he was a mess of hiccups, laughter, and tears.

”You're ridiculous!”

”And you're smiling.” Nursey pointed out, his eyes dropping to Will’s mouth. ”Worth it.”

From behind where they laid, twisted in a heap of bodies and blankets, there was the sound of a throat being cleared and then Bitty’s voice called out, ”Not dead then?”

Will fell further backward, still laughing, ”Told you!”

”He’s being dramatic.”

”I’m dramatic? Big words from Mr. Almost Murdered,” Bitty said.

”How long have you been standing back there lurking?” Nursey asked, suspiciously.

”Not too long, but long enough.” Bitty shook his head, smiling, ”If you two are about finished, there’s a cobbler and some cookies in the kitchen whenever you want to come back down.”

”Two desserts! Now who called it!” Nursey crowed.

”What’s that saying about stopped clocks?” Will mocked right back.

”Some boys never grow up,” Bitty said, shaking his head before going back down into the main house.

”Overrated!” Nursey shouted after him.

Will pulled himself back upright and started detangling himself from the twisted up blanket nest. ”We probably _should_ go back down.”

”If we want any of that cobbler, yeah.” Nursey jumped to his feet and offered Will a hand up.

On their way down the stairs, Will stopped Nursey with a hand on his shoulder. ”You should stay.”

”What?” Nursey turned back to him.

”Tonight. Can you stay?” Will said again. Actually making it a question this time. And Nursey looked...shocked. Maybe not shocked, but at least surprised. Oh hell, now Will was questioning opening his mouth at all. ”Not like that,” he tried to quickly explain. “Guest room. I have one. Maybe you could stay tonight? I just thought, if we were going back to the cottage tomorrow, it would be easier and - never mind you don't have to.”

”No, I can. You just caught me off guard. Figured you'd be looking for us to clear out so you could have some quiet again.” Nursey smiled reassuring, ”I mean, I’d like to stay, if it's not too much trouble.”

”Course not, I offered.”

”Only, do you have anything I can borrow to clean up and change in to? I'm kind of a mess after the impromptu yard work and all.”

”Didn’t I already loan you an outfit,” Will poked him. ”You trying to take my whole wardrobe piece by piece?”

Nursey bit his lip, ”Ohhhh. Didn’t I give you back the other clothes?”

”Pretty sure not.”

”Well, I meant to?”

”Intentions don't keep a body warm, but I can _probably_ scrape up a few more things for you. You already know where the shower is.”

”Then yeah, I can stay.”

”Good. Now we better hurry before they send someone else after us.”

”Truth.”


	14. Chapter 14

There was a buzz of conversation in the kitchen. Right up until Will and Nursey walked back into it. Then it was replaced by sudden silence and eyes glued down at phones, or whatever else is handy. In Holster’s case a calendar, two years out of date, that Will never got around to replacing or removing from its spot by the doorway. His lighthouse was December, and he figured he was entitled to keep it up.

“_Real_ subtle,” Nursey said before dropping to a mock whisper directed at Will. ”They think we don't know they've been talking about us this whole time.”

Will choked back a snort of laughter.

After an exchange of somewhat guilty looks, Chowder was the first one who braved breaking the silence, “All right again?”

“Uh, yeah. About that,” embarrassed, Will rubbed the back of his neck. A nervous habit, one he’d never managed to shake. ”I’m sorry for blowing up on you guys. That was - not good. At all. So, yeah. Sorry.”

They tried to assure him it was fine, but he knew better and told them as much. “You guys can't help that you pushed too hard, when I never let on that I was that upset. If I had said, I don’t know, it might have been different. But I didn't and that's on me.”

“That may be so, but we need to do better too,” Bitty said before pushing a plate full of crumble at him.

Will’s mouth quirks, ”I feel like we've fallen into this cycle where you shove food at me, I tell you that you didn't have to-”

”And then you sit and eat it anyhow. Glad you've caught up to the program. Now sit, eat.” Bitty says, sticking the fork in and stepping back.

”Only on the condition that we drop the ’who’s more sorry than who’ contest.”

”And if I don't agree and take back your dessert?”

”All I have to do is-” Will smirked and held the plate over his head, out of Bitty’s reach. Pretty pleased with himself, he did _not_ expect the quick hip check and nearly dropped the plate, allowing Bitty to easily grab hold of it again.

Calls of ’Niiiiice!’ ’Check that out!’ and ’Get it Bits!’ came from the others.

”You were saying?” asked a, justifiably smug, Bitty.

”I’m sorry, you're sorry, everyone is sorry. Can I have my dessert back, please and thank you?” Will answered, holding his hands out hopefully.

Bitty handed the plate back. ”Figure we’re about even now, agreed?”

Will nodded his agreement and dug in on his cobbler before it could be taken away again.

He only managed a couple bites before Jack stood and spoke up, ”I have to say, we do owe you _one_ more apology.”

”Sweetpea, he _just_ said-"

“No Bits, I’ve been thinking about it. Sometimes we get wrapped up in the whole story that we’re chasing - and this is a great story - but we forget these are actual people and that’s not right. Look what we've been doing here.” Jack motioned to the rest of his friends sprawled out around the kitchen and dining area. ”Here we sit in his home, where we practically pushed our way in. We’re digging through his family, questioning him about his friends. Uninvited,” Will tried to interrupt, but Jack carried on like he had a set speech in his head and nothing was going to stop him. ”He couldn't be more of a private person. Lives out here alone, practically on the edge of the country. We were _literally_ told to leave him be. And here we are anyway. Over something that happened long before he was even born. It's one thing when we choose public life, but even then - think if someone came to ours poking around,” Jack visibly shuddered at the thought, ”I don’t even want to think about it. But you _know_ that a little yelling and a door slam would just be the start. What we have done is _worse_ than that, because he never made that choice.” Jack turned back to Will, ”Barging in here and putting demands on you was wrong, and I am - no, _we_ _are_ \- very sorry for how we have acted and how we upset you.” 

After a pause - because what was he supposed to say to all of that? - Will went with a, very true, observation. ”I think that’s the most words I’ve heard you say yet.”

”That’s it? _That’s_ your takeaway? You don't want to tell us off or to leave, or- ” Jack replied, seeming surprised.

”Ayuh, that and _I’m_ still sorry. I should have said it was bothering me instead of letting it all build up bigger than it was and then blowing. And you're wrong. You might have showed up on your own, but I did both invite you in and offer to help. Yelling and storming off? That’s no way to be.” He’d been told off for his temper often enough over the years that he didn't have to think too hard before the echo of lectures past came back to him. He thought maybe it had gotten better but that night showed him it might have had more to do with the lack of other people to rage at than personal growth.

Jack seemed mostly relieved, _but_, ”-you aren’t going to ask anything else?”

Will, unsure where Jack was going with the question, replayed the, for lack of a better word, speech through in his head. ”The public life thing?” Jack nodded, and so he asked, ”I mean, I guess - Should I know you?”

Jack frowned, “I don’t want to say it like _that_, sounds, ugh.”

Holster pointed out, ”I'm pretty sure that's the kind of question you would have to punch yourself in the face for answering yes to.”

“Yeah, would have to ask Shitty, but I think it's in the revised bylaws,” Ransom added.

“Well, in any case, if you wanted me to know you’d tell me so I don’t see where it matters. You want privacy and if there’s anyone that should know to respect that, it’s me. So, there we go.” Will told Jack, letting him off the hook. Pointing at his plate, he asked, “Now can I enjoy the rest of this?”

After that everyone settled, and conversation went back to what seemed to be normal. Mix of random chitchat and plans for the rest of the trip. It was comfortable, the house seeming more lived in than it had for ages. Will couldn't help but think, not for the first time, how quiet it was going to be when they left. He’d gotten used to this so quickly and, even with the hiccups, thought he would be sorry to see it end.

Almost on cue, Farmer yawned and said “We should probably be headed out here soon. Getting late.”

“You aren’t waiting for the others?” Will asked.

”Shitty and Lardo?”

He nodded, ”Unless you have any other spare friends hiding around here somewhere.”

”Not that we brought with us!” Chowder helpfully - maybe even cheerfully? - answered. “They checked in while you two were, um, out. They’re camping for the night. Said they’d see us for breakfast.”

“Oh alright then. Did you still want to meet up tomorrow afternoon?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Ransom told him. ”That’ll give us time to check on a few things. I saved a sat image from Maps and circled your neighbor’s place. The realtor isn’t open until 10 am according to their site, but once they are I'm going to send that in and see what they can tell me.”

”Okay, and Nurse and I are headed to the cottage first daylight. I'm sure I’ll be back here long before you guys are done.”

“First light?” Derek asked mournfully.

“First light-ish.” Will compromised.

“First light plus time for leftover pizza and two coffees?”

“Fine, but clean off the counters set the pot up now.”

”This is practically domestic,” came a whisper from somewhere in the direction on the table. Will wasn't sure from who exactly, because he was distracted by the clear up. Once the others started gathering their things, he moved on to hooking some of his lights up to their respective chargers and checking batteries in the rest. He left the borrowed vests and coats in a pile by the back closet for Future Will to deal with. He might like things relatively tidy, but he was no saint and it had been _a night_.

Just as Will was finishing that up, he heard Jack calling from the front door to ask if everyone was ready.

”Not quite,” Bitty told him. “Nursey still needs his shoes and coat.”

”Uh, actually...I’m staying. Dex asked.”

Will peeked around the corner just in time to see Bitty’s eyebrows hit his hairline, and - was that a blush dusting Nursey’s cheeks? Hard to say from that far away, but he let himself think that maybe he wasn't entirely off the mark then with those looks he thought he saw? Interesting. Something to think about. Something to obsess over and probably a reason kick himself when remembering fast he backtracked when he asked him over earlier. 

Even straining his ears, he couldn't hear what Bitty said next, but Nursey told him ”Oh my God, just go,” and pushed him out the door, laughing.

“What was that about?” Will asked, after joining him at the door and sliding the lock.

“You don’t even want to know,” Nursey told him. “You tired yet?”

“I know I _should_ be, and I’ll regret this come morning but...Not really?”

“Same. I could stand some cleaning up though. About those clothes you said I could borrow-”

“Oh yeah, let me just go and grab them.“

Nursey followed him down the hall to his room. After a quick dig through the drawers, Will handed over another worn in t-shirt and a pair of flannel plants.

Nursey held up the shirt, ”Are you _sure_ I didn't return those clothes?”

”Yep.”

“I only ask, because I would swear this is the same one you loaned me last time.”

”Promise. The shirts were on sale, and I liked ’em well enough I bought a stack.”

”You bought a stack. A stack of shirts. Identical?” Will nodded, and Nursey shook his head. ”You buy your clothes by the pile. That is - I don't even know, ” he laughed. “It's either the funniest or saddest thing I've ever heard, and I'm not sure which.”

Annoyed, Will tried, too slowly, to grab the shirt back, “If you're too good for my shirts-”

“Chill, it's just chirpin’,” Nursey told him, already headed to the bathroom across the hall.

Will suspected chirping was actually code for trying to piss him off, but let it go anyway. No point in shouting at a door. He grabbed his own change of clothes, another pair of flannel pants and yes _another_ matching shirt. He thought about grabbing a different one, but these were already broken in and comfortable, damn it.

By the time he was done with his own shower, Nursey had already finished and was back in the living room checking out his shelves. He looked, very deliberately at Will’s shirt and his damn eyes practically sparkled with the laugh he was holding in.

”_Don’t even_,” Will warned him.

Nursey bit his lip and held up his hands, false image of innocence. ”I wasn't - I said nothing!”

”And you said it loudly. Pick a movie or something. They're in the drawers,” Will pointed below the bookshelves. “I’m going to make some popcorn.”

“How can you still be hungry?”

“I'm not, really, but you can't have movies without popcorn. You don't have to have any.”

When he came back with the bowl Nursey was still flipping through the DVDs.

”You haven't found anything yet?” Will asked him.

“There's too many choices!”

Okay, maybe that was fair. He did have a pretty extensive collection, covering nearly every genre. ”No cable out here, and it’s not like I’m about to put a dish on the lighthouse ya know. Just pick anything.”

”Anything? You sure?”

”Why not? I said your choice, and I like it all or I wouldn’t have it.”

Nursey held up an old Disney DVD that Will had forgotten he owned as if daring him to shoot it down. He shrugged to say why not and popped it in the player. Lilo and Stitch was a solid choice, and who didn't like a cartoon at the end of a rough day?

To spite his earlier protest, Nursey must have actually wanted the popcorn, Will thought to himself. He'd ignored the entire rest of the long couch to flop nearly into Will’s lap after he’d tucked himself into his usual corner and grabbed a large handful out of the bowl. Will could have sworn he felt eyes on him a few times, but each time he looked up Nursey was either watching the screen or down at the bowl so he figured he must be imagining things. Like how he thought he was going to grab his hand when he was actually digging for the perfect buttered piece of popcorn. Totally his imagination. Yeah.

After both the popcorn and the movie were halfway to finished Will decided Nursey had also been lying about not being tired. With a smile, he grabbed his phone off the side table and snapped a selfie featuring the man currently sleeping on his shoulder, mouth open and tiny bit of drool about to drip onto his own shirt. He told himself he was saving it because it would be good for some ’chirping’ of his own later. Right. Why else? So what if it was a decent picture of himself too. And proof he’d associated with another person.

He turned down the volume on the tv and pulled up a mindless game on his phone, settled in to kill a little more time. He didn't want to disturb Nursey, and it wasn't like he was ready to go to sleep yet anyway. He had trouble falling asleep most nights as it was, and he didn't think his mind was going to quit spinning any time soon. Between game levels, he switched over to his browser and stared at the screen. Very determinedly NOT googling the man sleeping on him, because - why again? Oh yeah, that would be weird. Even if he was apparently some sort of author with at least one other famous friend. It would be beyond awkward if Nursey were to wake up and see him snooping. And the whole privacy thing. Not bullshit, an actual legitimate reason to leave it alone. That’s what he told himself anyway, as he resisted temptation and switched to a different game and started playing.

After about the 1000th round, Will finally dropped the phone and joined Nursey in sleep.

A weight settled over Will and pulled him back awake. At first he thought it was Nursey, but no. Too light for that. He wasn't sure how long he’d been out, but it was still dark out. From the side of the couch he heard a whispered ”This is so cute” and his eyes snapped wide open. Before he could shout, his ’neighbor’ put her fingers to her lips and hushed him.

”Hi.” she whispered, nervous.

”You. Lou. Hi.” Smooth. Real smooth Will. He mentally slapped himself. At least he’d remembered her name this time. He looked down to check if Nursey had woken, but he was still out cold, now covered in the same blanket he was. That must have been what woke him. He looked back up and just stared at her, for the first time catching a flicker.

”So...I guess you know now, huh?”

”It’s true?” he asked, mindful to keep his voice down.

She nodded, ”Depending on what exactly you think you know...mostly, at least.”

”Were you ever going to tell me?”

”How mad would you be if I said no?” She caught his look, ”Never mind, look who I’m asking. Of course you're upset. You know, at first I thought you knew. You kept trying to steer the tourists away all those years.”

”That's because-”

She waved him off, “I figured it out. You just really don't like outsiders. Or people in general. Most of them, in any case. Seems this handsome stranger is an exception though. Second time keeping company in as many days, if I'm not mistaken.”

Will blushed.

”Could it be that making friends wasn't the worst thing in the world?”

“What do you want me to say? Yes, I admit it, you were right. This hasn't been _entirely_ awful.”

And it wasn't. Except for feeling like he somehow lost his friend, even if she was standing right there. And questioning what he knew about - well, everything. _That_ had been awful.

”About, umm,” he felt ridiculous even saying it, but he had to ask, “ghosts. Not you, but-”

”Not to change the subject?” she countered.

”No, _absolutely_ to change the subject. But I also want to know. Need to know really. Are there others or is it just you?”

”There’s others.”

”Here?” Will looked around the room. Thought of his parents and other family long gone. Were they still here? If they were, why hadn't he ever seen them?

She picked up on his meaning, ”Not _here_ here. Some echos.”

“What’s an echo?” Will asked.

She took a moment to think before answering, “I think of an echo as a shadow of a person. They aren’t there, but the feelings left behind are. Occasionally you can see things they often did repeatedly replayed. Like your great grandfather walking the deck. He’s not _there_, but can still be seen sometimes.” 

That explained some interesting calls he gotten during his few ventures out of town. “Anyone from when you-” Will struggled with how to ask what he wanted tactfully.

”When I died? I don’t think so. If so, I’ve not seen them. And I’ve looked.”

Will thought about her concern for him being lonely and started to understand it better. ”I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. Not everyone stays, and that's better honestly. And I don't know how long-” she stopped to take a breath that Will was now sure she didn't need. Must have been a habit left over from before.

”I've been pushing things and it’s getting tougher to hold on. That storm? That's been happening more and more when I try to force being present too hard. I’m the oldest I know of and I'm not sure but I think my-” Her entire self flickered, and Will sure as hell rubbed his eyes at _that_, then she muttered, ”Not again. This is why I've got to go. Too much at once and I lose the grip. I'll try to be back, on my word.”

”But wait-” Will started, but it was too late. She was gone. Unfortunately, he was too loud, and Nursey woke up.

”Did you say something?” Nursey asked, voice scratchy with sleep.

Will wasn't sure if he should say anything about his visitor. After all, what if he had imagined the whole thing. Wishful thinking, though who would wish for a cut off unhelpful conversation, he didn't know, but still. ”Umm maybe? I don't know.” he answered vaguely.

Nursey squinted his eyes ”You don’t know?”

”Do you always repeat other people?” Will deflected.

”Do you always say weird shit?”

”Maybe I talk in my sleep.”

”Do you?”

”How am I supposed to know? Who’s gonna tell me? Anyway, we should go to bed. Our beds I mean. Separately. So I won't disturb you in case of future talking.”

”I would talk about this more, but I'm still tired.” Nursey pulled himself to his feet and then offered Will a hand up. ”Remind me to interrogate you further in the morning.”

”Of course.” Will lied, hoping he'd forget the whole strange exchange.

Before leaving the room, Will took a good look at the blanket on the couch. If he needed any more proof she was really there, that would be it. The blanket in question was a quilt his mom had sewn for him. He knew for a fact the last time he saw it was when he packed it away in a box of things he couldn't deal with looking at right after the accident. A box that was shoved deep into his parents’ closet before he locked the room. He knew he hadn't opened it up, and who else could have gotten in?

Still, he kept quiet. Even after talking to her, it wasn't like he had anything helpful to tell the rest of them. It was more personal, he reasoned.

Will paused in the doorway when he showed Nursey to his room. He didn't even realize they were holding hands until it was time to let go. He wanted to say something, and it looked like Nursey did too, but instead, after an awkward moment that hopefully felt longer than it actually was, they both just said goodnight and headed to their own beds. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to be the only one still working on their Halloween fic in December  
Thanks to all you still sticking with me!  
(I really did think this would just be a little thing at the beginning!)


	15. Chapter 15

Will was exhausted. To put it mildly, the day had been A Lot. 

In a kinder world, this would have had him immediately falling asleep until the sun woke him in the morning. Well rested and not _too_ much worse for the wear. 

Unfortunately for him, Will lived in the real world. And the real world apparently hated him.

He started out the few of the hours the night had left to offer tossing and turning in his bed, mind not slowing down for more than 15 minutes at a time. About halfway through the night, sick of staring at the ceiling, he decided to get up and move around a little. He even went so far as pacing the walk at the top of the house, thinking it might help clear his mind. Usually a cure for random bouts of insomnia, instead he thought back to what Lou had said about the echoes of people who were gone. Every turn he made around the walk had him half expecting to run into a vision of his great grandfather. He wasn't sure how exactly he felt about that, but he knew the thought wasn't relaxing in the least.

In the end, he decided to try laying in bed again. At least it was warm there. He was haunted - haha brain, thanks for that - by thoughts about the late night visit and whether he could actually believe it had happened or not. Sure, the evidence all pointed to yes, but really? Was he actually going to believe in this? A friend who had been dead their entire friendship. And he hadn’t noticed? He'd been called oblivious before, but this was above and beyond. Thinking about whether or not he was oblivious just led him back to saying good night to Nursey. Was there a moment? It felt like it _could_ have been, but what did he know? And was it worth the risk for someone who was going to be gone in days anyway? What if he was so out of practice - with what, human interactions? - that he was reading into things that weren't there? He briefly considered smothering himself with his own pillow. Just a little. Being a hermit was so much easier than whatever this was. 

With a sigh, Will looked at the alarm clock. 6:00. Still early, but late enough there didn't seem much point to attempting any more sleep.

Dragging himself out of bed, he headed straight for the kitchen. He could already tell that coffee, and lots of it, was going to be a necessity if he was planning on functioning at all.

Immediately clicking the machine on, he took a moment to be thankful that he bought coffee in bulk. The thankfulness took a hit when he opened the fridge and pulled out an empty carton of milk. With a groan, he started digging through the cupboards. When he had been pulling out all the mugs he was sure he had seen - ah, there it was - some of the flavored powder creamer shit he had pushed into the back, from who only knew when or when. He squinted at the container. If they didn’t print an expiration date on it that meant it was fine, right? Either that or the date had worn off because it was so old, a more ‘helpful’ part of his mind provided. He decided to drown that voice with scalding hot, and probably worse tasting than straight black, coffee and moved out to the porch.

Will was on his third cup by the time Nursey made an appearance. He gave up on adding anything after that first mug. Apparently flavored powdered milk could go off. Either that or it wasn't any good in the first place. Who even knew what ‘holiday memories’ were _supposed_ to taste like. In any case, it had been terrible, and the bitterness of black coffee was a much better alternative in his opinion. Maybe not in Nursey’s though, if the look on his face after grabbing the mug and taking a sip was anything to go by.

”Ugh,” he grunted. ”why does your coffee taste like anger?”

”Because my kitchen wasn't fully stocked enough to run an in home bakery.”

Nursey frowned, tired brain trying to catch up.

”Out of milk,” Will helped.

”Oh,” he took another sip and winced before setting the mug back on the railing. ”Freezing out here.”

”Little brisk,” Will countered. He motioned at the drink, half gone, “you want your own?” 

”No, it's terrible.

“There is a certain taste to it. Could be worse though.”

“Are you sure?” Nursey asked, doubtful.

Will barely contained the shudder as he remembered his first mug of the morning. “Trust me.”

“I’ll take your word for it. So, what are you doing here?”

“Waiting, watching.”

”For?”

”You’re going to think it's stupid, but I was kind of hoping she would stop by like she does some mornings.”

”That’s not stupid.”

”Didn’t work anyway.”

”Sorry.”

”Why are you apologizing?”

”I don't know. Seemed like the thing to do,” Nursey said, as he drank the rest of the coffee, nose wrinkled up the whole time.

”Well, don’t. Whatever this is. It's not your fault. My coffee being gone though, that's on you.”

”I’ll buy you one later. One that doesn't taste like disappointment.”

”Thought you said it tasted like anger.”

”Layers, Dexy, ” Nursey counted off on his fingers, ”anger, disappointment, and a _hint_ of self hatred.”

Before he could argue - and really what would be the point, the coffee _was_ terrible - Will’s phone rang.

“They checking up on us already?” Nursey asked, craning his neck to try and see the number displayed.

Will pulled his phone closer and rolled his eyes. “Not all my calls are about you guys.”

Looking at the display he wasn't sure what it could be about though. Petcetera. Huh. He answered to the voice of an old school friend.

”Hey, long time Will. Question. Do you know a Duan and a Knight?”

”A who and what now?”

”They gave your number for a local contact. Said you might know them better as,” there was a definite pause, ”Lardo and Shitty?”

Will narrowed his eyes at Nursey. Damn him for being right. In a way. ”Yeeeeah. I know them. What did they do?” Mentally, he added ‘now’ to the question.

“They haven't really _done_ anything.”

Reassuring, still Will waited for the but.

“Just wondering if you’d vouch for them. They decent?”

Not a but, curious though. “They're new, but far as I know yeah. Odd but okay. But - _vouch_ for them? _Why_?”

Nursey gave up all pretense of minding his own business and, even after Will stepped away, scooted himself even closer to try and listen in to the other half of the conversation.

“They were at the office here and I wanted to check them out.”

“They were - _why_?” Will asked again, even more confused. He gave a half hearted shove at Nursey who was practically hanging over his shoulder.

”Because-” the other man started before quickly switching gears, ”Oh wow! Look at the time! Better get going before the boat leaves without me!”

“But-”

”If you need anything else I'll be back midweek. Talk to you later!”

”Anything _else_? But-” Will realized he was talking to dead air. Looked down at his phone to see the call was disconnected and finished, muttering to himself, “_You_ called _me_. What did _I_ need?” He tried to call the number back, but hung up with a huff when an automated message picked up saying they were closed until next week and directing any emergency calls be forwarded to an animal hospital in the city. 

”What was that about?” Nursey asked him.

”Damned if I know. Your friends are clearly already up and moving though, so we should probably get to it now ourselves.”

Not much later they were back at his neighbor’s property. Or at least what Will had thought was her property. The leaves were worse than before, but other than that it looked much the same as he’d expected. The light of day did make it much easier to see other signs of disuse in the light of day. The windows, and even the doorway, had webs in the corners. The windows covered with a layer of dirt under that.

Taking a chance, Will tried the front door again, but it didn't budge. He hadn't expected it to, but that didn't stop his foot from giving a frustrated kick to the corner.

Nursey had wiped the corner of a window clean and was trying to shine his light inside. A couple of random pieces of furniture, but nothing making the place look occupied. No food. Nowhere to sleep. “I thought maybe she had been, like, squatting maybe. But, Will, it doesn't look like it.”

Will sat at the edge of the porch with a sigh, “I know.”

“Then where do you think she’s been staying?” Nursey asked as he joined him.

“Here.”

Nursey looked at him, confused. “Let me try this again. What I’m saying is that I don't think anyone has lived here in quite a while.”

”And I said I know,” Will repeated, avoiding eye contact as he picked away the chipping paint.

”But-”

”I think, it's possible, she wasn't, isn't, living.”

”What are you saying?”

“You’re the ’ghost hunter’, what do you _think_ I’m saying?”

“Noooooo.”

“Do you have a better explanation?”

“No, not yet. I don't know, maybe she was just lying about where she lives? I thought you weren't even sure you believed in this stuff. Isn’t her being a ghost a big jump from just having a secret or two?” 

”Not as big as you'd think-” Will figured it was now or never to tell him. “I talked to her last night.”

“Here?” Nursey asked. “I thought you didn't see anything more than I did.”

“Not when we were here, later.”

“After we went to bed?”

“Not quite. Before that, when we were on the couch.”

“I must have been out hard. I never even heard a knock.”

“You wouldn't have. She didn't knock. At least I don't think so. You were laying on me and I was asleep and then - she was there.”

”You didn't wake me?”

“She wasn't there long. And I wasn't entirely sure I wasn't losing it. Or dreaming. I don't know. It was weird. I wanted to check things out here again, try to find her, before said anything.” 

“What did she say?”

Running the exchange through his head, he tried to decide what part he wanted to share. She said we looked cute a, thankfully internal, voice offered. Shooting that down, along with the parts about his parents and how they really were gone because - a little heavy for that early in the day. Or ever. Will settled on “She told me she is a ghost. _The_ ghost, actually.”

“She confirmed it??” Nursey asked as he sat up straight, suddenly excited, hands flailing. “Did you ask her about what happened to her? More about who she is? Where she-“

“I didn’t, hmmm, get a chance?”

“You didn’t- the hell? What _did_ you talk about then?”

“It was really quick, okay? And I was mostly just in shock.” Only a small lie, Will told himself.

“That’s it. We are doing this. Get my stuff.”

Will shook his head, but still hopped up, went and grabbed the duffel out of the truck. Anything to stop the line of questioning. Handing it over, he told Nursey that he was going to head over to the shore, cliffside, to take a look around. See if there was any sign of what had caused those other lights the night before.

Nursey pulled out his answer machine again and ran through the list of questions. He tried not to get discouraged as he went down the list without getting any sort of activity on his monitors.

When he got to “Do you gave anything you want to tell us” there was a voice from behind him that said, “You know he likes you, right?”

Nursey screamed. Loud.

”Apologies, this better?” she asked before clicking the switch and turning the light green.

Nursey held a hand to his chest, he would have sworn his heart beating double time. “Where did you come from?” he asked the woman. “You can't just sneak up in people like that!”

Ignoring his question, she continued, ”You’ll have to make the first move though because he is... Well, a bit useless there.”

Nursey yelled again, this time calling for Will.

Will ran over, nearly falling over when he stopped.

”I see you've met Lou?”

Nursey looked from her to him and back, ”Lou?”

”My neighbor, ” Will helped.

”Your neigh- OH your **_neighbor_**.” Nursey’s eyes, impossibly, got even wider. ”But she's, I mean, isn't she,” his voice dropped to a whisper, ”dead?”

”’She’ is standing right here, and can hear you.” She shook her head and muttered under her breath, ”Everyone wants to talk to you, but only until you start talking back.”


	16. Chapter 16

“So. You’re Lou,” Nursey said after he was, mostly, calmed down.

“I am,” Lou replied. With what might have been a smile, or maybe a smirk, she told him, “Don’t worry. I know who _you_ are.”

Will couldn't decide if it was antagonistic or teasing. In his experience, it was a fine line sometimes. 

“Hm. Well. You don't _look_ like a hundred year old ghost,” Nursey said, taking in her appearance with narrowed eyes.

_He_ had apparently decided to steer toward contentious, Will thought. 

“Excuse you! What's wrong with how I look?”

And there was a defensive reply from Lou. He was going to have to step in before this got out of hand. Him. The reasonable one. Will shook his head at what an unexpected turn of events _that_ was.

“Nothing’s wrong with how you look, you look very nice,” Will told her in what he hoped was a reassuring tone. To Nursey he said, “You could try _acting_ nice.”

“That’s it, exactly!” Nursey pointed at him before spinning back towards Lou. “She looks nice. _Too_ nice.”

“What is that even supposed to mean?!” Will asked him. “I have no idea where you're going with this.” He looked at Lou hoping for some sort of clarification, but she just shrugged.

As far as Will could tell, Lou fit right in. Open cardigan over a sundress. Strappy sandals. Not quite dressed for the weather, but she wouldn't be the first to put style over function. Her hair _was_ slightly fancy and too perfectly styled for the beach. He didn't know a lot about these sorts of things, but even Will could tell not a hair looked out of place. But overall? She could have passed as any of the tourists wandering around town in season.

Any _modern_ tourist. Which- okay, maybe that was a _little_ strange.

Nursey seemed to notice the exact second the problem clicked in Will’s head and told him, “You get it, I know you do. She looks _too_ normal.”

“Not to belabor the point, but - again - ’she’ is right here and can hear you. And I had no idea I was dealing with such a fashion expert,” she added with an eye roll that put Will’s to shame. She huffed before adding, “Imagine picking apart _my_ fashion sense, dressed like _that_?” 

“Hey! He borrowed that from me!” Will protested. Who in Maine didn't have a closet full of flannel? He'd passed up wearing his favorite to let Nursey borrow it. It wasn't even rumpled. Much.

“Yes, I’m aware. Your point? _Mine_ is this - two people who look like they just rolled out of bed should not be lecturing _anyone_ on what they choose to wear.” With a huff, Lou added, “I’m starting to second guess if I should be helping you.”

“How is this helping?” Will asked, confused. “Helping who with what?”

Ignoring him, Nursey backpedaled, “I’m not saying it looks bad. It's just - your look - it’s barely out of date. And with a white sundress? What happened to ’lady in black’? That’s what all the books and shit said.”

“For your information, not that it's any of your business, but you'll do a lot to get rid of the ’lady in black’ stories following you every time you want to take a walk after dark. It took a few decades to figure out how to focus enough to change things, but it was worth it.”

“Hold up,” Nursey said, suddenly fascinated. “Are you saying you can just change what you look like?”

In a blink, she changed from the sundress into a black wool coat covering a long dark dress. With a look of concentration, she cycled through a few other outfits. A flowy one-piece pants outfit, a modest swimsuit, a dress with brightly colored swirls, shorts and a sleeveless top, and then back to what she had been wearing minutes before.

”Whoa- so you- wow, ” was Nursey’s shocked reply. Will couldn't fault his lack of coherency as he was speechless himself. Knowing a person could do something and then actually witnessing it firsthand were very different.

Appeased by his impressed tone, Lou told Nursey, “You'd be surprised what a person can do given the motivation.” 

”And it’s that easy?”

“Well, if it’s something I've already ’worn’ it generally is. New things require more energy and rest after.”

”Is it only clothes, or can you change everything about your appearance?”

”I think so, but everything has a cost and so I've only tweaked a little here and there since that first. Hair, makeup, superficial things.”

“Sorry if I came off a little-” Nursey waved his arms around, “This is all so - wow. I don't even know.”

“If that was supposed to be an apology,” She raised an eyebrow in question and he nodded before she continued, “I accept. Now about freckles. What do you think?”

Nursey searched her face, ”You don't have any? Not that I can see anyway.”

“Not yet,” she confirmed. ” But I've been thinking of giving myself some. What do you think? I always see how many more Will has at the end of the summer, and it makes me wonder. Doesn't he have such nice freckles?”

Will, who had been very happy to fade into the background and listen to the conversation up until this point, suddenly found himself the sole focus of the other two people. Two people staring at his face full of freckles. Because Lou was right about the quantity of them. By the time fall hit every year he was almost more freckle than not. But to call them nice? He was fair certain his mother was the only one who had ever said such a thing, and she had had fair skin herself and was likely biased. God knew, in school all it earned him was teasing.

In any case, that much attention on him had his face heating in embarrassment. If he could have conjured a pit of quicksand on the beach to swallow him whole he would have. Failing at that, and not even having a hat to pull down, he settled for hiding his face behind his hands. How much could a person be expected to endure in a single-

The train of thought was abruptly cut off when Nursey answered, “Yeah, he does. Very nice.”

That wasn't going to help the blushing situation, Will thought, but still he peeked out through his fingers just enough to see the other man smiling. Seemingly sincere, and not teasing.

Nursey pulled Will’s hands the rest of the way down. “The freckles are a good look,” he said before turning back to Lou. “But for him, maybe not for you. Maybe something less - beauty mark maybe?”

“Hmmm,” Lou said, considering it. “I’ll take it under advisement.”

Lou and Nursey might have continued talking after that, but Will couldn't say for sure. There was this buzz in his head drowning out everything else.

He stared down at the sand, his brain stalled on the fact that Nursey said he liked his freckles. Not just freckles in general, but _his_. He dared a peek back up at him and noticed Nursey looking back before quickly darting his eyes away. And - was Nursey blushing too? It wasn't quite the neon sign alert that his own blush was, but in this light? Well, there definitely seemed to be a flush to his cheeks that hadn’t been there before.

He knew he should make an attempt to follow the conversation, and he tried. But - this was Nursey’s fault. With his compliments and smiles and looks. And the hand holding that he was still doing from when he pulled Will’s down away from his face. He could have let go, but he hadn’t. Okay, maybe he wasn’t quite holding them. Just. Resting his hands under them. And tracing his fingers back and forth along the lines of his wrists and sides of his hands. So no, not holding, but somehow more.

With all this running through his head, Will had to be excused for not exactly paying attention. 

Then, unfortunately, Lou’s voice became a little more clipped in her answers, and it pulled him back.

“Why were you here then?” Nursey asked her.

“As I said, I don't want to talk about that,” Lou told him, clearly not for the first time. 

Oh, Will thought, they must have moved away from fashion and back to the business of ghosting.

“What about how, ummm, I don't know how to ask this in a sensitive way-“

“Maybe because there _isn't_ a sensitive way to ask and you shouldn’t?”

“Shouldn’t try to be sensitive? But-”

“Oh god. No. That you shouldn't be asking.”

“Don't you want people to know what happened?”

“It won’t change things.”

“I just think-”

“Listen. How I died is the least interesting part of my life, and I don't want to talk about it. That is final.”

Generally stomping a foot in the sand like she did wouldn't have done much, but the wind had started to come in harder off the water too as Lou raised her voice. Will was afraid this was going to lead to another storm like the night before, in which case it needed to stop before it started. Not to mention, the beach might have been practically empty but raised voices carried and tended to draw attention. Even if he wasn't sure whether or not just anyone could hear hers. It didn't seem like a good time for more questions. He decided to try and keep the peace between them again.

“Maybe you guys need a little break? How about we head back to the house where it's more comfortable and, you know, private.”

“I still don’t want-” Lou started.

“We won’t ask any more about that,” Will turned at hearing Nursey’s intake of breath, “We will **not**.”

“Fine,” Nursey muttered.

“See?” Will told Lou, “We can talk about whatever. Or nothing. Your call.”

He thought maybe she was weakening. The wind was at least. A good sign.

”Maybe you could meet everyone else?” Nursey asked hopefully.

”Nope.” Lou said wide eyed right before she popped out of sight.

”Did she- she just- she noped out! Literally!”

”Yep. She sure did.” Will agreed.

”Huh. What now?”

”I think we've learned all we can here. She isn't going to show back up until she wants to.”

“She’ll be back though, right?”

“I think so. Eventually. Maybe don't push her so much next time. A person’s death is about as personal as it gets,” Will pointed out. 

“Yeah, suppose so,” Nursey reluctantly agreed. “Might as well head back?”

”That was my thought. You owe me some good coffee first though. I'll show you where to find it.”


	17. Chapter 17

“Cappuccino, dry, three shots, one sugar?” the barista cheerfully recited when Will stepped up to the counter.

“Up a size from normal, please.”

“Another shot and sugar too then?”

He smiled and nodded, “You know it.” He appreciated that she remembered his usual order, but he needed a little more of a pick up than normal.

She turned to the other man, “And for your friend?”

Will bumped Nursey’s shoulder to get his attention.

“Oh sorry,” he said after he quickly put his phone back into his pocket. “What’d you get?” He asked Will, who told him. “Well, not _that_,” Nursey said, pulling a face.

The barista laughed and they started debating the pros and cons of the various specials and advertised drinks.

Will took a minute to step back and look around the shop while he waited. Since they seemed to be just getting warmed up in the whole decision making process, he figured he had some time before their drinks would be ready.

Not that there was all that much competition in town, but this shop was a local favorite. Even with it being later in the morning, a good number of the tables were taken. Looking around, Will felt like almost every pair of eyes were on them. He tried to tell himself not to be paranoid, but - no that one was _definitely_ staring. And now her table mate was deliberately ’not looking’ while whispering and texting. He glanced at the next table, and a guy he recognized from the market practically gave himself whiplash trying to look away. Subtle. And while he didn't catch anyone in the act of looking, he would have sworn he could feel eyes on him from one of the people seated at the bar along the wall too.

He knew that he didn't hang around in town _that_ much, but stopping in for a drink was a normal part of every trip in. It was hardly worth this much attention. Will thought he might have heard an unmuted camera shutter, and wondered if this was what being a cryptid felt like.

Before he could sink any deeper into thinking about _that_ sort of nonsense, he was saved by Nursey waving a drizzled up white chocolate sugar bomb monstrosity masquerading as coffee in front his face and handing his own drink over.

“Earth to Dexy, you with us?”

“Hmm. Yeah yeah, just distracted.” Will reached for his wallet, but Nursey moved to stop him.

“Already got it. I owed you, remember?”

“Oh, right. Thanks.” Will said, slipping a bill in the tip jar. He took another look at Nursey’s drink, sauce covering the entire inside of the cup’s surface. “Sure that's sweet enough for ya’? Was the whipped cream _really_ necessary?”

“Go big, right?” Nursey waved his phone. “So, that was Holster before. It sounds like we have some more time before everyone’s ready - Chowder got a call - Do you want to wait here, or...”

“A little tight in here, but how about out front?” Will held the door open and then led him back outside to the group of tables under an awning.

With the patio heater was on and some small potted trees that created a windbreak, the patio seating was comfortable even on a cool day. The unspoken bonus, so far as Will was concerned, was that the plants in the window boxes gave at least the illusion of privacy from the prying eyes of their fellow customers left inside. What he hadn't thought about was that sitting out there left them open for nearly every person walking by. If he didn’t know better, he’d have said half those people went out of their way just to travel that direction. When he stopped by after a supply run he usually managed to get out with two social interactions, three _tops_.

That day it seemed like nearly every person had to either stop and say hello, or at least greet him with ‘Will’ and a head nod.

After about a dozen people interrupted their small talk, Nursey had to ask, “Is there anyone you don't know? It’s like hanging with-” he paused to take a drink, making a sound of satisfaction, before continuing, ”I don't know. Like you’re some sort of local celebrity or whatever.”

“Just because I don’t like people much, doesn't mean they don't like me,” Will shot back, more because the comment made him feel defensive than out of a belief it was true.

Nursey raised an eyebrow, calling him out without words.

“Fine,” Will huffed. “Maybe not. But, you know, small town. Been here my whole life. Can't help but know most the locals, even if I don't leave the house often.”

“Well, it must be _fairly_ often, if you have a regular coffee order.”

“It's my reward for venturing.”

Nursey looked confused so Will explained, “Much as I'd like to, I can't always stay off to myself. Post, supplies, groceries, bill paying and what have you. I decided that if I have to venture out and do the whole dealing with people business, a coffee on the way home is my reward. That and a muffin.”

“Oh, so like self bribery-”

“I know, it sounds-”

“No, I get it,” Nursey assured him. “Did you want one? A muffin, I mean? Because I can-”

“No. I'm good,“ Will waved off the offer. “Truth is, I think your friend Bitty might have ruined all other baked goods for me.”

“Been there. You’ll try other things but nothing will compare. So this place is your treat for peopling. I can see why you like it.” Nursery nodded his head towards the window, “I could probably tuck back in one of those corners for hours myself. Or out here. If it weren’t so cold.”

“It is _hardly_ cold. The heaters are even on,” Will argued before they went back to their small talk. Mostly him pointing out other interesting spots within eyesight.

As he finished his drink, Will asked, “So, do you have a place like this?”

“A favorite coffee shop?”

“Yeah, or anywhere really. Someplace that’s special, that you look forward to?”

“Well there is this bookshop-” Nursey started.

“Of course it’s a bookshop, Mr. Author,” Will quipped.

“I know, cliche. But really it isn’t even about the books.”

“So your favorite place is a bookshop. A shop full of books you don't care about?”

“Are you going to let me tell you about it or are you going to keep interrupting?”

Will opened his mouth to answer-

“Don’t you dare say both, ” Nursey said, pointing in accusation. The mind reader.

Will closed his mouth, holding in a laugh.

Nursey mock scowled at him, making it even harder to hold in the laugh. Finally, Will relented, “Alright. Go on.”

“You sure? It's not a short story. Or, I should say, it won't be if you keep cutting in.”

Will mimed zipping his lips and tossing a key. He was curious about this bookstore full of uninteresting books that still had enough draw to be one of the other man's favorite places.

“It was a couple years back when I found the place. I had this deadline hanging over me, and so I was wandering around the city. Ignoring it.”

“As you do.”

Nursey allowed the interruption and continued, repeating, “So. Wandering around the city, not in a rush for once, I’m taking the time to look around. Like, for real. People watching is tricky on the move, so I'm focusing on the buildings. Making a list in my head of shops to hit on my way back, Christmas was coming, and there's always birthdays, whatever. Anyway, I ended up in this swawsome little neighborhood. I know I’d passed through it before, but I’d never even taken the time to _see_ it until that day. It’s got all the bodegas and fruit markets, but with music and gift shops mixed in. Oh, and three shops right in a row, full of great vintage shit, you know clothes and all that.”

Nursey paused to look at Will appraisingly, ”You could do well there. If you ever decide to stop buying your shirts in bulk, that is.”

“Come on! They're good shirts!” Will protested.

“Still-”

New York City, him? On invitation, maybe. But this didn't sound quite like that. Otherwise? Portland was about the biggest city he’d ventured to on his own. It was good for a rare weekend. Very rare. And New York? That'd be...hm. Further, busier, entirely unknown. Still, Will considered. “I'll keep it in mind. Just in case my plans to never go anywhere near the city fall through,” he told him.

“Do that,” Nursey nodded and continued. “Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah! I saw a glimpse of what had to be the best park for blocks. You know those private gated gardens that are in all the movies, but don't exist outside the high rent areas? Except they must, because there was one there. You have _no idea _how badly I wanted to climb that wall. Only thing stopping me was the woman coming out with this impossibly large stroller thing. Almost ran me over, so I kept moving. Little further on there's this one pizzeria, ironically the only one _not_ claiming to have the next pizza in the city, but it has the best slice, no contest. It’s my go to now.”

“Adding to my imaginary itinerary,” Will pretended to scribble on a nonexistent notepad in front of him. Then, because nothing was quite so fun as teasing the other man, he asked, ”Are you getting to the point anytime soon? You've ’walked’ me through blocks now, and still no bookshop-”

“I’m getting there,” Nursey insisted. “Okay, skipping forward for the impatient, I’m passing this alley and the light shoots through just right, caught my eye. About halfway down, there's this big balcony over part of it. Not a fire escape, like an actual proper balcony. Which, strange right? Who wants to look over an alleyway? It was amazing though. Okay, maybe not the thing itself. It was a huge, but kind of rusty looking, metal deal. But it was covered - **_covered_** \- with plants. Climbing ones from a trellis over top and down the sides. And so many pots full. Hanging jars too, think that's what caught the light. Every surface though - greenery, flowers, looked like some vegetables too. Like a greenhouse had exploded outwards making a shell around the balcony. I knew I had to see what it looked like from the inside. I go ‘round the block to the street side, count the entries and there it is, not the florist place I half expected but a narrow little bookshop.”

If he wanted to cut in, there was no break for him to do so, as Nursey had hit the heart of his retelling and pausing for nothing. Not that it mattered. The more he went on, the more animated Nursey became. Hands waving, eyes sparkling. Why _would_ Will want to disrupt his story? Maybe Lou’s right, and he does need to get out more. Talk to people. Not play the last of the creepy lighthouse hermit so well. Not that he’d tell her she was right, she’d be insufferable. He'd only admit to himself he was enjoying this. Unfortunately, all the watching and thinking makes him miss a part of the story, but it was easy enough to pick the thread of it back up.

“-There isn't anyone in sight. I'm thinking maybe the upstairs actually goes with one of the places to the side, but then I go round the last shelf and see a door. Office, restroom, stairway entrance, who knows. I'm turning the handle and this tiny old dude pops up from behind the counter, scared the hell out me. Asked what I thought I was doing. I tell him I wanted to check out the upstairs, and he's all ’customer areas are all right here, back rooms and upstairs are private’ blah blah blah.”

“The very nerve of him, having boundaries,” Will deadpanned.

“Right?!” Nursey agreed, disregarding the tone. “So, there I stand. Desperate to get up there, but trying to do my best impression of a non-insane person, asking for just a few minutes to see that damned balcony. Because the more he doesn't want to let me up there, the more I _need_ to see it, you know?”

”I have a passing familiarity with your personal brand of persistence, yeah,” Will said with a smirk.

“Ooo, I _like_ those words. Do you mind?” Nursey paused, and when Will waved him off, tapped into his phone before continuing. “Back to the store- he tells me that letting people creep around doesn't pay the bills. And, okay, the store is still empty and that's a point. I grab the first book in reach and shove some money at him. He's sighing and shaking his head, but he still opens the door and directs me up. Tells me I have 15 minutes, and that I better not mess with anything up there.”

“And was it worth it?” Will asked, knowing the answer. After all, if it hadn’t been then this wouldn't make for much of a story.

“You can't even know how much. I'm finally standing up there on it, and I was right. It's like I thought, perfect. It’s... I can’t explain. A shield of green. So close to everything, but impossibly private. I sat on the chair out there and settled in. It was like being invisible, like not existing in that space, but in a good way? Like I could have sat and watched for hours but no one’s looking back. Which now that I say it out loud I realize it sounds sort of sketch. There was this feeling though - listen, I can’t explain it, you’ll have to trust me.”

Will was thinking about all the time he’d spent sitting out on the deck of the lighthouse over the years. Even with it being open he’s far enough out he doesn’t ever feel like anyone’s eyes are actually on him, but he can still look over everything. He could, and had, spent hours doing just that. Yeah, he thought he understood the feeling. When he told him he understood, Nursey smiled.

“In no time at all, he's shooing me out. Something about closing time, and giving me linger than he agreed in the first place. The sun was almost down and, in addition to that peaceful feeling, I had a notebook full of writing, so okay he was likely right. I thanked him and left, and thought that would be that.”

“Uh-huh.” Will didn’t believe _that_ for a second.

“Really, I did! Mystery solved and all that. Then I ended up blocked. _Another_ deadline coming and I had nothing to turn in. I remembered all those easily filled pages from that day and, well, if he let me up once what was another time? And another. And so on. It became a habit, each trip in went about the same. I had a shelf of things I’d never read.

Will laughed, “How many books are you up to now?”

“Lost count,” Nursey admitted. “I ended up making one of those tiny library boxes for the lobby in my building. He has loosened up some though. I don't have to buy something _every_ time anymore.”

“He give up?”

“Let’s just say I wore him down, eventually,” Nursey said with a shrug. “I might also have told him who I was _and_ promised to do a book signing for him next time I publish. Now my mandatory purchases are sometimes things he's tracked down because he thinks I might like him _and_ he lets me up whenever...well if he’s open. He is **_not_** receptive to a midnight wake up call.”

“Imagine that.”

“What can I say? The muse has no respect for time zones. Anyway, that's it. My favorite spot and the first place I look forward to getting back to after I've been away”

“It sounds nice,” Will said. He had finished his drink and was fiddling with the sleeve on his cup.

“Done? Sure you don’t want one of those second rate muffins?” Nurse asked.

“Shhhh don’t be mean, they'll hear you.” Will leaned forward and dropped to a whisper to add, ”But no. I’ve been ruined.”

“I’m sure they aren't up to Bitty standards, but they have to be pretty good if the coffee is anything to measure by. Wish I could get this in the bookshop,” Nursey tapped his own empty cup on the table.

“No good coffee around your place?”

“Might be, but I haven't bothered looking too hard. He’s not real flexible on the no outside food and drinks inside the store rule. Probably wouldn’t put in a machine either.”

“Probably not. I guess you’ll just have to come back here sometime.” Will hurried to add, “For the coffee.”

“And the company, ” Nursey said, seemingly, _thankfully_, oblivious to the blush Will could feel creeping up his neck.

“And maybe I’ll have to venture down to the city someday.”

“Yeah?”

“Maybe, yeah. Check out the city. Meet this bookseller. Invite him to join my ’steamrolled by the charm of one Derek Nurse’ club,” Will teased.

“Hey, there's no such thing,” Nursey protested.

“Is so. Very exclusive, you probably haven't heard of it yet.”

“That wounds me, Poindexter. Both as the man who has just bared his soul to you, and as a self-confessed hipster.”

Will was ready to feel bad, almost. Then Nursey cracked a smile. “It's alright, whatever gets you there.”

And that? _That_ sounded like an actual invitation. And _this_ felt like a moment.

At least he thought so, if he could shut the doubts inside up.

It had been- a while since he’d done anything like this. Will didn't like to think how long ‘a while’ had lasted. How do people do this again? It was one thing to take a trip away - Portland, wherever. Not home being the key - knowing he was intending to hook up. But somehow he’d lost the thread of how to do _this_. To actually get to know and, more importantly, like someone and _then_ make a move. He'd spent so long avoiding anything that could be considered a relationship, he worried he’d entirely forgotten how to even approach the _edge_ of one.

As his own eyes flicked between Nursey’s lips and eyes he was grateful to see the look returned. The other man leaned forward, meaning he wouldn't have to take the leap on his own.

Lips a breath apart and then, just before connecting, Nursey’s head jerked to the side and he nearly lost his seat.

“I’m sorry! I thought-” Will stammered out, embarrassed and throwing himself back into his seat. He must have read things wrong if the other man was ready to practically throw himself out of his chair to avoid kissing him. Fuck. Anxiety pushing the fact that _Nursey_ had actually leaned in _first_ from his memory. 

“No! NO!” Nurses protested. “Dog-Person-” he gestured wildly to the retreating figure of a person running away behind Will.

“I didn’t mean- I thought,” Will was still attempting to apologize.

“No-Me too, ” Nursey tried to explain again. ”I just- There was a dog? And someone chasing it? They hit my chair.”

Will paused his panic long enough to ask, “This is...okay then?”

“God, yes.”

Much more confident, Will slid his hand up the side of Nursey’s face and leaned in for a kiss. Their lips met with him letting out a near sigh of relief. No accidental miss this time. He could feel the answering smile in the other man’s lips, and the thought crept in that a kiss had never felt so much like coming home. His tongue skimming against a lower lip still sweet from whatever that disaster drink had contained, he didn’t notice anyone had approached them until a pair of small hands clasped both of their shoulders, startling and freezing them in place.

When a voice asked, “Hey guys- Have you seen Shits?” their foreheads bumped together and they let out twin groans.

“I have the worst friends,” moaned Nursey.

Will looked up to see Lardo waiting.

“Shitty? Did you see him go by? He was chasing Sammy.”

“Who’s Sammy?” Will asked. “I don’t remember a Sammy.”

“I’ve no idea.” Nursey looked over to Lardo for an explanation. 

“Never mind, there they are.” Lardo jumped up on a chair from a nearby table and waved Shitty back. With a dog.

“Told you there was a dog,” Nursey said to Will, pointing at the scruffy furred animal dancing around Shitty’s legs as he tried to make his way back.

Will whispered back, “Does resenting something so cute make me a monster?”

“If so, I’m right there with you,” Nursey reassured him.

“Pick this up later?” Will asked hopefully.

Nursey nodded and they both plastered on smiles to greet Shitty and find out how exactly they had ended up with a dog of all things.


	18. Chapter 18

Shitty breathlessly made his way back to the group and handed the, now handily dog attached, leash over to Lardo. “Haven’t fuckin’ run like that in _years_,” he managed to huff out as he leaned against the building, hunched over.

She smirked, “Maybe next time you'll go running with me when I ask.”

“Not likely,” Shitty told her with a wheezing laugh. He tilted his head toward the dog. “Next time he bolts I’ll let _you_ can chase after him though.”

“You’re too kind.”

“I assume this is Sammy?” Will squatted down to dog level and held out his hand for inspection before giving the wild haired dog some pats, and getting an enthusiastic face lick in return. Laughing he told the dog, “nice to meet you, little fella.” He wasn’t sure, but he thought he might have heard Nursey mutter about it being a nicer welcome than the one he had gotten.

“That's what we're calling him right now,” Lardo told Will, while she gave the dog a couple of scritches behind the neck. “Had to call him something, and he didn’t have any tags, so-”

“-Figured, Samwell crew trip- Sammy,” Shitty explained, breath thankfully returned.

“I like it,” Nursey said, sneaking his hands in for a couple of pets of his own and asking the happy dog, “Is Sammy a good boy? Oh yes, he is.”

“You and your nicknames.” Will shook his head fondly. “So you just got him? Unconventional souvenir, I’d say.”

“Well, he’s not actually,_ technically_, ours,” Shitty admitted.

Will looked from the dog, with his shiny new collar and leash, back to Shitty and Lardo. He pulled himself back upright, suddenly suspicious. “You didn't steal him, did you? _Please_ tell me you didn’t just make me an accomplice to dognapping.”

“No! Not stolen, found,” Lardo rushed to assure him.

“Rescued even,” Shitty insisted.

“When did you two have time to rescue a dog? We just saw you last night.”

“You know how we were at the cemetery, right? Well, we weren’t getting anything there, even looking in the right spot, so we wandered around a little more and there he was. Hanging around to edges of the trees, a little spooked but I think he was hungry enough not to run. We stayed longer to lure him out-“

“-earn his trust!”

“Yeah, Shitty, earn his trust,” Lardo agreed. “And then this morning we took him into-“

“-Petcetera.” Will finished, as things clicked into place. “I did hear something about you two being over there earlier.”

_Of course_. That explained the phone call that morning. He had been fishing, Will frowned at the pun even though it was hidden silent in his own head, to see if he could take off and leave the dog handling situation to someone else. At least he had called before taking off for his own fun, but still. He couldn't have just been upfront about it? Said why exactly he was calling? Maybe ask if he'd mind handling this for him? Ugh. 

It was probably for the best he didn't hang around that guy much anymore because the next time he saw him he was going to have to murder him.

Okay, maybe not murder. Murder was messy. Also incredibly illegal.

Sink his boat? Hmmm. No. Less messy, slightly, but still illegal.

Let it drop to his mother about how he heard her son was sneaking around with that girl from the island again? Oh. Yes. _That_ would do. Almost guarantee a talking to at their next family dinner. Sweet revenge for duty shirking.

Will knew that his own mother would have said eavesdropping wasn't something to be proud of, but damned if it didn't come in handy on occasion.

Oblivious to the vengeful thoughts racing through Will’s mind, Lardo went on, “Yeah, Petcetera, you know it? The waitress when we stopped for breakfast said it was the best place to try and find his owner.”

“The only place really.” Will told her. “That's our vet, animal control, adoption, and pet supply store all in one. Used to be run by Old Owen, but he passed it on to the younger a few years back.”

“Makes it easy I guess, keeping everything together. Anyway, no chip but he was going to check around. See if anyone is missing him or find him a family. Owen’s supposed to get back to us in a couple hours so we can drop him off either way.”

Will blew out a breath as he pulled himself back to standing. “About that...I can almost guarantee he’d already run through all his guesses about who this little guy belonged to before you even left the shop. He _is_ animal central after all.”

“Maybe he was just waiting to find a place for him then?”

“Or he already found one.”

“Then why-” She looked at him with confusion, and checked her phone screen. “He hasn't called yet. You think we should go back over there?”

“No point, he was headed out fishing.” Will sighed, “probably can’t even see him from shore by now.”

“But if he found a place-” he could see when it clicked in her head, even before Lardo said, “Oh. You’re saying us. He found _us_.”

“Yep.”

“So he just fucked off?!” Shitty asked. “Who does that?”

“Owen.” Will deadpanned.

“Look, in general, he means well. He cares about the animals. Tries his best, usually. If he didn’t, then the business wouldn't have been passed to him. It's just, sometimes,” Will shrugged, “I don't like to be mean or speak ill, but-”

“Really,” Nursey scoffed, “_you_ don’t like to ’speak ill’? Huh, could have fooled me.”

“Ha-ha funny.” At least Will hoped he was joking. Regardless he had to admit facts. “Fine, Owen’s kind of a flake. He’s been an expert at accomplishing the most while doing the least ever since we were in school. He _is_ good people though. He wouldn't have left the dog if he wasn't sure that he would be taken care of. Assuming that's the reason for the call to me.”

“So, just like that, we have a dog now?”

Shitty looked at her, seeming excited at the possibility of them keeping the dog. Lardo didn't seem entirely against it, as evidenced by the frequent pats and scratches, but did have a look of someone on the edge of overwhelmed at the idea. Not quite sold. Yet.

“You could talk about it, you know?” Will told them. “You’ve still got, what, another day or two here? Take some time to think about it, talk it over. Either way, it’s up to you. And don’t worry, even if you want to leave Sammy here when you go, I’ll make sure he finds a home and is taken care of.”

Shitty and Lardo looked at each other.

“It’s not like we _planned_ on getting a dog anytime soon-”

“But we didn't plan _not_ to either-”

“You _did_ spend all that time earning drawing him in last night-”

“And you _always_ say it gets lonely at the house when I'm working so long.”

As if he knew they were talking about him, Sammy sat back and wagged his tail. Like he was trying to look his absolute cutest, turning his head back and forth and panting, as they discussed his fate.

“We _do_ have a decent size yard-”

“Big empty yard, that we're doing fuck all with.”

“Truth. Could be nice-”

“Coming home to this cute little happy face?“ Shitty stooped down to the dog’s level and looked up at her hopefully.

“Yours or the dogs?”

Shitty smiled wide up at her, “Both, of course!”

“I meant what I said, don't let this pressure you. Either way, I’m going to have some words with Owen. If you need longer to think about it, I can-” Will started to offer again.

He wasn’t particularly looking for a pet, content to throw the odd stick across the beach for any loose dogs that escaped for a run. All the fun, none of the responsibility. He just wanted to make sure they didn't take on something they'd regret, most people had more time to work up to and decide on this kind of commitment. Then he saw Lardo and Shitty look down at Sammy one more time before smiling at each other, and he knew the decision was made.

“You want to come home with us little dude?”

Sammy hopped eagerly between them, and just like that it was settled.

“Congrats,” Will told them, “looks like you two just got a new dog.”

“For better or worse,” Lardo laughed out.

She made sure Shitty had hold of the leash and then turned to Nursey. “Need to borrow you real quick.”

“Oh. Just let me-”

“Now.” She dragged a wide eyed Nursey away by the arm. She started before they were quite out of earshot, “You two? That looked very, _well_, I hope I didn't interrupt anything.”

Nursey ducked his head down before answering, which had the unfortunate side effect of muffling his voice, and then they were too far for eavesdropping. 

Will sighed, hoping he wasn't in for an interrogation of his own, but Shitty seemed happy to go on about the dog. How the pup had been shivering and scared when they found it, but a bag of his favorite jerky - a worthy sacrifice - was enough to bring him in.

“Think the tent might be lost cause though, some things you just can't clean out. Bitty’s gonna freak. Thing’s green couch bad, bro.”

Will nodded, like he had any idea what Shitty meant by that.

A few minutes had passed and then Nursey walked back with Lardo, Will tried to catch his eye. He wished for the psychic ability to find out what she had asked him. And know what the reply had been. But he wasn't a mind reader and all Nursey did was smile. Well, at least he still looked happy, not any worse for the wear, so that was likely good. Almost reassuring, he told himself.

“You tell him?” Shitty asked Lardo. She looked back, lost, and he added, “About Chow?”

“Nah,” Nursey answered for her. “Holster called earlier though. Said Chowder, ummm, got called into work early. Jack and Bits running them to the airport?”

“Yeah, Chowder and Farmer said to give their goodbyes and they'd see everyone at the-” Shitty faltered, “uh, conference? In October. You're still planning on going, right?”

“Course I’m going. Cait’ll be there too?”

“Should be, said she'd try her best at least.”

“Nice,” Nursey said. “So, no car?”

“Not for a couple hours, after lunch at earliest.” Lardo told him.

Will pushed back his questions about what sort of conference would have all their varying jobs called together, and instead offered up his truck to run them wherever.

“Your place again?” she asked. “Ransom said he had somethings to show you. Could get him and Holster over too.”

“Yeah? Sure, why not.” Will told her as she was already dialing.

“Tell them to grab Sammy’s food from the room,” Shitty said, leaning over her. “And us food. Sandwiches!”

“From that place by the pier!” Nurse loudly added. “With the peppers and-”

“Could you let me-” Lardo huffed, as she shoved them aside to get some quiet to finish the call.

Will looked at Nursey in disbelief. “Hungry already? You, literally, _just_ rejected muffins.” He gestured at their, now cleared, table.

“Wasn’t muffin hungry. But _sandwiches_ though.”

“Whatever.” Will rolled his eyes. “Think they could grab a club for me too then?”

“Hmmm maybe. I don't know if they should. You _literally_ just rejected a muffin.”

“Oh, fuck you.” Will shoved him lightly. “Shut up and get in the truck.” 

To Lardo, Shitty, and by extension Sammy, he said “You guys-”

“In the back, got it.” Shitty offered Lardo a hand, but she had hung up and was pulling herself up and over the gate already. Sammy quickly followed over with an excited bark and a leap, and they were off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been...a while BUT I want you all to know I haven't (and won't ever!) give up on this messy little AU of mine  
I do have more than this written, but the rest isn't quite update ready yet and I thought maybe the world could use some (hopefully) quality dog content in these trying times.  
Your comments and messages give me life, so thank you for that! And for still following this story oh so many months later!  
(Every new subscribe has me going - !!!!)


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *quietly drops this extremely delayed update before slinking away*

“Are you _sure_ I don't need to head back and get them?” Will asked, for the third time.

“Nah, they’re resourceful. Quit worrying,” Nursey told him, also for the third time. At least. Maybe he _had_ asked a few too many times.

He, Nursey, Shitty and Lardo were gathered back around the table in his kitchen, while Sammy sat at the edge of the doorway leading into the mudroom, happily chewing on a length of rope that Will had knotted up for her. He didn't have much to offer in the way of snacks while they waited, but he’d managed to scrounge up a bag of not quite stale pretzels and some cold sodas. Not the best spread, but good enough he didn't think his mom’s memory would judge him _too_ harshly under the circumstances. Said circumstances being that these particular guests and their friends had basically wiped out his pantry over the course of their previous visits.

They were waiting, with varying levels of patience, for Holster and Ransom to show up with their lunches, and - maybe more importantly, it depended on who you asked - to tell them what they'd found out about Lou’s place. Or rather the house that she had been...haunting? It was still hard for Will to think about it that way, about his longtime friend being a ghost, but, well, could he deny it anymore? Honestly? It was strange, but if she was a ghost - which she was - and had been staying in and around the house - which she had - what else could you call it other than a haunting? At any rate, finding out the property had been sitting vacant might have explained how it could have had a ghost-in-residence for so long without attracting too much attention, but it opened up a whole other set of questions. Who would leave a house on the water empty for years? Sure, it needed some upkeep, but still, it was a nice enough place in a great spot. Where were the owners? Why hadn’t they been trying harder to sell it? Or failing that, using the property themselves? He also wanted to know more about how Lou had ended up connected to the property, but that was going to have to come from her and not a simple property search. Unfortunately, she hadn't seemed any too eager to talk about her final days when he and Nursey had talked to her earlier.

After his stomach grumbled, Nursey checked the time, again, and sighed.

“I _said_ I could head back in for them,” Will pointed out. “It’s not an issue-”

“Might be a while, but I’m sure they're on the way,” Shitty assured him. “I think they were looking for an excuse to rent that bike, and a ride’ll take them a minute.”

“Not the tandem!” Lardo shook her head, “I thought we talked them out of that.”

“Yes, the tandem, and _you_ tried to talk them out of it. _I, _on the other hand, might have offered to pay the fee as long as they took pictures.”

“They'll never make it here in one piece on that thing.”

“Oh, ye of little stature and faith, they are perfectly synced. They'll make it fine.”

“Whatever. Then why did you want pictures, hmmm? A 20 says they'll crash and burn at least once.”

“Hopefully they don’t fall on my sandwich,” Nursey muttered under his breath.

“Because Jack can't be the only one with pictures of these trips, that’s why. So, deal?”

“Deal.” Shitty and Lardo were just shaking on the bet when the sound of tires on the rocks outside was followed by a knock at the door. They all turned to look at Will, who looked blankly back before it clicked -

“Oh. Yeah. My house. My door. Best be getting that.” He rushed to the answer, more to hide his blush than out of a hurry to let the two in.

He opened the door to the double whirlwind that was Ransom and Holster pushing through, arms loaded with bags.

Shitty took one look at them before holding his hand out to Lardo. “All in one piece. Well, two pieces. As expected. Pay up.”

“Not so fast,” she told him, attempting to shove his hand away before turning to them. “How did you manage to carry all of that on a bike?”

“No bike,” Ransom told her.

“It was already rented,” Holster added.

“Ha!” She slapped Shitty’s hand down. “No payday for _you_.”

“You neither,” he pointed out.

“Hmmm. I still say you owe me ten,” Lardo argued.

“The hell I do,” Shitty scoffed back.

“But if they would have ridden the bike they would have fallen, and you know it.”

“Says you. Wrongly.”

“My. What an _excellent_ defense. I can see why _you're_ the high-powered attorney here.” Lardo pulled a face at him before stating her case, “If they had tried to ride that bike they likely would have fallen. If they tried to ride it while holding all those bags, they for sure would have. I see no possible way that they would have made it here safely, and so I _still_ deserve half the original bet winnings.”

“Incorrect,” Shitty took a final sip of his drink and a deep breath before standing. Full attorney mode. “First, both these fine individuals have a history of athletic excellence in a sport known for quick moves requiring great balance skills, coordination and teamwork,” he counted off each point in his hands. “Second, they've been known to safely carry much more than a few bags of food, over unfamiliar terrain, in the dark-”

“Well, I did fall on Rans that one time we-”

Shitty hushed Holster before continuing, “Shhh - You aren't helping the case.”

“Why are we even on trial?” Ransom asked, confused. “Anyways, I remember that. Kind of. You only _almost_ fell, bro, and we were hella fucked up that night.”

“You,” Shitty pointed to Ransom, “_are_ helping. Thank you. As I had said - teamwork. While, errr, shall we say inebriated? They were able to use teamwork to accomplish their goals. Mostly safely. Sober, and in the clear light of day, making it here safely would have been no problem. Thirdly, if the bet had been that they `likely’ would have fallen off the bike with their arms full, I allow that you _might_ have won. Unfortunately, for you, it wasn’t and so you didn’t. In closing, your point is dismissed for being unprovable. Case closed. The End.” He, smugly, picked his cup back up to drain the drink.

“You can't just close the case yourself-” Lardo argued.

“And yet, I have,” Shitty shrugged.

She growled under her breath, “this _isn't_ over,” Lardo pointed at him before asking Ransom and Holster, “So, no bike? How _did_ you get here?”

Will, who had been watching like the exchange like it was the most interesting show he’d seen in years, and, let’s be real, with television as spotty as it was out there it kind of was, turned to them, curious himself to hear the answer.

Nursey, who had been enjoying watching Will watch the others, said, “Probably an Uber.”

“No Uber round these parts.”

“Fine, Lyft, whatever.”

“Nope, don’t have those either,” Will told him. “We _do_ have a Martha, but there’s no way that’s how they got here.”

“What’s a Martha?” Nursey asked.

“She calls herself a taxi service, but truthfully she’s just a busybody who got herself a fair reliable rig and a business license. Let’s her keep up on who’s new around, see what they're about and then give them a mandatory tour of her favorite places. Takes her forever to get anywhere. Guaranteed it would have taken them at _least_ another hour to get out here with her.”

“An hour!? How is this town even big enough to take that long?”

“Well, if you drop her a ’tip’ she's sure to add your place on the route, yeah? Bunch of shops do every year. That's a lot of side roads and loops. Now me? I throw her some money every season to miss The Light entirely. She would have tried stalling and distracting them as long as possible before heading this way.”

“So, don’t take ’a Martha’, noted for future.” Ransom cut in.

“We didn't need to anyway,” Holster told the group. “Did you know, if you order food for delivery, you can get yourself delivered along with it?”

“That's not a-” Nursey started to argue before looking to Will for confirmation. “_Is_ that a thing?”

“No. Definitely _not_ a thing.”

Holster gestured at the bags and then at himself and Ransom, “I do believe it is.”

Will frowned, confused, “You know what...I don’t even think they do delivery at all. Outside of town, leastways.”

“You’d be amazed how far friendliness and a smile can get you,” Holster said, flashing a near alarming display of teeth.

“Maybe you should try that sometime, Poindexter,” Nursey joked.

“Ha fucking ha,” Will said, flashing a smile that veered more towards frightening than not.

“Hope you tipped well,” Shitty told Holster, ignoring the shoulder shoving across the table.

“Pfft, of course dude.”

“Good, then. Now, important business, where’s my sammie?”

A whine came from the doorway.

“Sorry, I meant my sandwich, not you Sammy,” Shitty turned to tell the dog. She sniffed in their direction, clearly looking for attention in the form of food of her own but not wanting to leave her new rope unattended. “But, yeah, her food, where’s it at? Guys?”

But he’d lost the attention of Ransom and Holster. With a nudge and a head tilt to where Nursey’s ankle was practically hooked around Will’s, Ransom smirked at Holster, who in turn sighed and pulled some money out of his pocket to hand it over.

Nursery watched the exchange before he narrowed his eyes. “And what’s this about?”

“What?”

“The money?”

“That? He owed me for the, umm, dog dishes.”

“Yeah, sure he did.”

“Right, Holtzy?”

“Absolutely, the dishes. We were going halfsies. Because, uh, gift?”

Ransom scrunched his face up before he mouthed ’gift, really?’ back at him, but Holster just gave a small shrug.

Nursey still looked doubtful and Shitty, who had given up waiting and was rooting through the bags for himself, distracted them when he asked “Well, where are they?

“Where are what?” Ransom asked.

“The. Dog. Dishes.” he answered slowly and deliberately.

“Shit. Fuck. Damn. I, uh, forgot them?”

“Uh-huh,” Nursey shook his head. “You forgot to bring the dishes. That you just bought. As a gift. Suuuure.”

“Don’t worry about it. So long as you brought the food, I can find something to put it in.” Will got up and dug through a cupboard by the sink that was little more than a jumble of used butter tubs and came up with two bowls.

One bowl he filled with water and set in front of the dog. The other he handed them to Lardo who filled it with some of the food Shitty had found in the bags, leading to a very happy Sammy, who flopped on top of the rope before digging in with enthusiastic messiness.

“Isn’t that uncomfortable? And look at that-” Nursey pointed out the puddles and food pieces spread all around the dog.

“It’s fine,” Will waved him off.

“What about your precious floor? All I did was drip on it the other night and-”

“Oh, let her be. Unlike people, _she_ can’t help it if she makes a silly little mess.” Will ruffled the fur on top of her head. “Besides, she’s a good girl, aren't you Sammy,” Sammy wiggled at the good girl comment and went back to happily working to empty her bowl. Dog mess was fine, Will told himself, nothing he couldn’t clean up later. He wondered if maybe he should consider a dog of his own. The company might be nice. He shrugged off the thought for later and went to wash his hands before grabbing a stack of plates to take to the table.

All business of bets and money exchanges temporarily forgotten, the gang worked as one to pass around the lunches.

A giant sub was split between Lardo and Shitty. She flicked an olive that had stayed to her half at him, which he easily caught with his mouth before flicking a pepper back towards her. When he went to grab a drink, she swiped another pepper and one of his tomato slices too. Ransom passed her his pickle spears, and she gave him half her lettuce. Holster split his bag of BBQ chips and the salt and vinegar ones in front of Ransom between them 50-50. Okay, maybe 60-40. But neither complained. Instead of being split up, a large bag of fries was just torn open and left for each to pick from as they wanted. Ketchup squeezed out onto one of the wrappers that had previously held a wrap. All the exchanges spoke to the habits of friends who’d shared a meal many times over. Will eyed the onions that Nursey picked off his sandwich, wanting them. Even though no one else had made a move for them, he wasn’t quite brave enough to push his way into their rituals. No matter, because as soon as the look was noticed, he found them deposited on the side of his own plate. Happily piling them on his own sandwich he spared a slice of bacon back, but just one. He wasn’t _that_ generous.

Will had originally thought they had brought back too much food not realizing some of the others had gone, but the reason for the pile of random extra sandwiches dropped in the middle of the table became clear as each was picked apart and passed around until everyone was full.

As the last scraps of their meal were being cleared away Ransom spoke up, “So, I got in touch with that realtor,” he told them. “The property _is_ up for sale. Technically. Has been for a while.”

“What do you mean, technically? Then why isn't it listed anywhere? Being shown?” Will asked.

“Well, that's the thing. Apparently, they tried? But the seller wasn’t very motivated and only interest at the price was for a package deal.”

“A package-” Will paused and frowned. “Wait. What was the realtor’s name again?”

When Ransom told him, Will’s face clouded over and a hint of rage built up at the set of his jaw.

“So, I take it you _do_ know him. He said you'd, hmmm, spoken? Before.” Ransom filled in the others, “There’d been a big deal in the works with a developer, but they wanted this whole area or no deal.”

“Yeah. _Those_ assholes. Not likely to forget _them_. Wanted to turn this place into some ridiculous restaurant.”

“Waterfront restaurants _can_ be nice,” Holster tried to play devil’s advocate, “a good draw for the area.”

Will was having none of it. “My grandfather and father both would roll over in their graves if they knew I sold this place. After all the work they put in on the updates? Especially to some stiff from away. All so someone could open a restaurant we probably wouldn't even be able to afford to eat in? No way. No how. I think not.”

Shitty agreed, “I get it, yeah. People like that’ll suck the soul out of a place to make a buck. Fuck ’em.”

They’d only met recently, and it was hard for Will to tell if Shitty was motivated to agree with him in an attempt to stay on his good side, because he actually did agree or just because he couldn't resist joining in on a potential argument. In any case, fueled by the agreement, Will’s knew he was headed into full ’soapbox mode’ but couldn't help himself. “It’s the developers ruining towns like this all up and down the coast,” his voice rose and his arms flailed as he got more worked up. “For years we’ve helped our own. Didn't need anything from anyone other than basic neighborliness. Share and share alike, and everyone makes it just fine. Then some upstart comes in with his fancy ideas and a pile of money and, and, we’re supposed to sell up and then what? Go where? Do what-”

Holster, who seemed to have finally realized what can of worms he opened up, tried to back it up, “I didn't mean- not your place. Just, like, in general? Attractions, well, attract. But you're here, using the place. There's open land out there and they shouldn’t-”

Will steamrolled on, “-always say they want the authentic experience getaway but that’s not what they're really after. What they really mean is some bland cookie cutter experience that’ll get copied at every seaside town. So they can do the same things and share the same photos as everyone else. Nothing is genuine anymore. Where’s the originality of that? If they have their way every place will be the same as the next. Whatever happened to-”

Ransom held up a hand before interrupting, “Dex is right about that. It does seem to be what they were after here.”

Will grumbled out an “Obviously” but other than that let the other man continue speaking.

“This particular buyer wanted everything from the lane out to the water. All the lots. They’d had plans to turn this place into a restaurant, private outdoor seating at the top. The couple houses as you’re coming out this way redone and connected by a huge kitchen in the middle to make a big bed and breakfast or inn type situation. And then uh,” Ransom paused, “well, your friend's house? That was going to be turned into a gift shop. Upscale souvenirs they told him. But, without adding the rest, there wouldn't have been the traffic to support a shop. So - all or nothing.”

“There was, and is, no way I'm selling up and moving out,” Will shoved himself back from the table angrily.

“Hey, I’m not saying you should,” Ransom held up his hands. “Just passing on what he said. Pretty sure he knows that _now_.”

“Why do ya say that? I mean, good, but why?”

“He described you as - now keep in mind this is coming from him, and not me. I think you're great, and so don’t-”

“Spit it out.”

“he-called-you-the-lighthouse-lunatic,” came the quickly murmured answer.

“He what?!” Will yelled.

“Come on man, don't make me say it again,” Ransom said with a wince.

“_He_ called _me - _Well that's - that’s rude is what it is. Imagine invading a man’s home, after he’s - then you're going to call him names? Rude. Even more glad I didn't sell. Lunatic,” Will huffed.

“I wouldn't call you a lunatic,” Holster said, as the others added their agreement. “You do get...excited, but no.”

“At the risk of getting you all, you know,” Nursey gestured vaguely at Will before scooting himself back to a safe distance and continuing, “I’m just saying, coming from a person you tried to forcibly eject days ago, is it _completely_ inaccurate?”

“Yes!”

“_Is it though_?”

“I will throw you back into the ocean with my bare hands. Right now. Let’s go.”

Nursey offered back a weak smile to show he was kidding, mostly, and the rest started to throw out other words in Will’s defense.

“Not lunatic.”

“No, of course not.”

“Excitable?”

“Touchy, edgy?”

“Nah, opinionated?”

“And, fiercely determined”

“Oh, good one.”

“And hermit like?”

“That’s territorial.”

A woman’s voice from the other side of the room said, “he’s enthusiastically defensive.”

Nursey snaps his fingers. “Exactly!”

“Enthusiastically defensive,” Will repeated before turning and nodding in the direction of Lou, who had appeared over by the sink. “I can accept that.”

She smiled before disappearing again.

“Okay, so, big picture-” Nursey tried to take control of the conversation, “it boils down to, without Dexy’s place here, the whole deal was off the table.”

“And other than that offer there wasn't any real interest,” Holster, who had listened in on Ransom’s call with the realtor, finished. “With no package deal, and the other house owners not willing to take the low offers coming in, he decided it wasn't worth coming all this way to show it to people who are never going to buy anyway. Without the potential sellers pushing him, he stopped promoting it. He’d almost forgotten about the listing himself because no one has ever checked up with him in the last few years. Said it was like the owners themselves had even forgotten about it.”

“Yeah yeah yeah, what he said, zombie property. But now back to THAT.” Ransom frantically waved his arms. “What the? Who the? Tell me you all heard _that_.”

“Uhhh well-” Will stalled. 

Ransom looked around at the rest of them, who were visibly trying not to react.

“Is no one going to mention the fucking ghost in the room?!” He shrieked. In a manly way. If you asked him, he would have called it a shout. A very high-pitched shout. That he made while pushing himself as close into the corner, behind the table, as he could.

“Oh, that’s - Lou?”

“Yes, Derek?” she answered from over his shoulder.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to call you, I was just telling him - but since you’re here-”

“Your friends seem a little troubled.”

Will snorted.

Most of them were only staring, quiet, and more than a bit shocked, but remarkable not freaking out. At least not externally. But Ransom - well, his face was doing its best fish impression and - try as he might - he couldn't manage to force another word out.

Holster tried to help by giving him a slap on the back and he managed to eke out the words `girl’ and `ghost’ before slipping under the table.

“Is he...okay?” she asked.

“Eh-” Lardo said, tilting her hand side to side.

“Not really.” Holster reached under the table and gave a supportive shoulder squeeze.

“Hi,” was all Shitty got out.

“Maybe I should go,” Lou said, slowly fading.

“Hi?” Shitty asked.

Will thought it was weird to see her fading, when he’d already found himself getting used to her quickly blipping in and out. Then he realized how weird it was he found himself getting used to _anything_ at all to do with this situation.

“No, come back!” they all yelled. Well, all minus Ransom. He whimpered unintelligibly from his hiding place.

Lou faded back in, “are you sure?”

“Hi.” Shitty repeated, prompting a choked back laugh from Lardo.

“I think he means yes,” Will told her. “Stay a while.”


End file.
